Raspberries! Zootopia x Disney Crossovers!
by ZooCross0vers
Summary: These are my entries for WildeHopps-Rasps' Raspberries Challenge! Much like her, I'm combining Zootopia with 47 scenes from 47 different Disney movies. Some may be close to the original scene in question, while others may be altered quite a bit to fit the Zootopia universe. Note: I do not own any of the songs that appear in these fics.
1. Judith Hopps and the Seven Dwarfs

**Raspberries Challenge Entry #1: Zootopia x Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs**

 _ **Author's Note: Apologies, I meant to update this yesterday but I really couldn't find the time, so here it is! Note, these are just going to be SCENES from 47 different animated Disney movies mixed with Zootopia, starting in order from Snow White to Moana. These are not meant to be full on fics. Check out my post on Tumblr regarding my entries for the Raspberries Challenge and for any details I may have missed here. And don't forget to check out WildeHopps-Rasps Tumblr page for details on the challenge itself. Hope you enjoy this and I'll see you all next week for a Pinocchio crossover! xD**_

 _ **.**_

 **Judith Hopps and the Seven Dwarfs**

Once upon a time, there lived a lovely little bunny princess named Judith Hopps. Her vain and wicked stepmother, Queen Bellwether, feared that one day Judith's beauty would surpass her own. So she dressed the little bunny princess in rags and forced her to work as a scullery maid.

Each day, the vain Queen consulted her magic mirror. "Magic mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?"

….and as long as the mirror answered, "You are the fairest one of all." Judith was safe from the sheep queen's cruel jealousy.

...That is of course…

Until the magic mirror spoke otherwise, claiming Judith Hopps, the fairest one of all. A fact, which left the wicked sheep's blood boiling.

.

Princess Judith washed the bottom steps of the castle's stairway, clad in a torn and patched up, dirty cream and brown colored dress, and a pale blue bow atop her head. Her attire, a complete contradiction to her actual royal status as the daughter of the true late rulers of the Hopps Kingdom, King Stuart and Queen Bonnie.

After giving the steps a good scrubbing, Judith sighed, brushing an arm across her brow. Clearly tired after a long day's work. Alas however, the day's work was not yet over.

Judith rose to her feet, bucket in paw to fetch more water from the nearby well to continue on with her duties.

She set the empty bucket down to pull up a fresh bucket of water from the well. Placing the full bucket beside her on the well's edge, Judith gazed down below at the water in the well, viewing her reflection in the ripples of the water and taking in her dirty clothes and dirt covered cheeks.

Judith sighed once more, pulling out a locket hidden in her blouse. Within the locket was a small portrait of her dear deceased parents. "I suppose this isn't how you pictured life to turn out for me after your marriage to Queen Bellwether, is it father?" Judith shifted her gaze back down to her reflection, then back at the locket. "It's okay, I don't blame you. You couldn't have known how cruel she would be after your death," she smiled gently at the locket, an understanding look in her eyes.

"Well, while I have you guys here…" Judith shifted her eyes right to left, making sure a certain sheep wasn't watching. "Want to know a secret?" she whispered to the rabbits in the portrait, as if expecting them to answer as they once used to whenever she would regale them with her secrets. "Promise not to tell?" she giggled with a bashful smile.

Her cheeks blushed red as her innocent heart suddenly felt warm and full of love. "I had a dream last night, where a wonderful prince came to me and took me from this terrible place. I couldn't see his face, but he had the most gentle voice and…" she puffed her chest to release an ecstasy ridden sigh, "he made me feel worthwhile again. He made me feel...loved again."

Judith gazed back at the locket - no reaction from her parents, of course - but she could swear she almost heard her mother remind her of something they used to do together from when Judith was a child. "What was that, Mother? You want me to sing our old song and wish it upon the well?" Judith giggled, "I haven't done that since I was a kit." She stared at her mother's warm gaze in the locket, returning back a tender gaze of her own, "Very well then. If you insist."

Judith looked back down the well, as her and her mother's song began to swell in her heart:

 _ **We are standing by a wishing well**_

 _ **Make a wish into the well,**_

 _ **That's all you have to do,**_

 _ **And if you hear it echoing,**_

 _ **Your wish will soon come true,**_

Judith set her paws on the well's edge to sing directly into it. Hoping, to hear her wish resonate back to her from the well's echo.

 _ **I'm wishing,**_

 _ **I'm wishing**_ …...it echoed back.

 _ **For the one I love,**_

 _ **To find me**_

 _ **To find me**_

 _ **Today,**_

 ** _Today_**

 _ **I'm hoping,**_

 _ **I'm hoping**_

 _ **And I'm dreaming of,**_

 _ **The nice things,**_

 _ **The nice things**_

 _ **He'll say,**_

 _ **He'll say**_

As if magically summoned by her voice, a young fox prince by the name of Nicholas Wilde, suddenly made his way by the castle's walls. Though he just happened to be passing by, he stopped dead in his tracks upon hearing the love stricken bunny's soothing voice resonate past the walls. His ears stood erect, completely and utterly mesmerized by the sweet, angelic voice beyond the wall. "What's that? It's coming from over there." He curiously made his way toward the source of the singing, climbing over one of the castle's shorter walls.

 _ **Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah**_

 ** _Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah_**

 _ **Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah**_

 ** _Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah_**

 _ **Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah**_

 ** _Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah_**

 _ **Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!**_

 _ **Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!**_

Upon climbing the wall, Prince Nicholas sat stunned, his jaw dropping once laying eyes on the source of the voice. Before him, singing by a wishing well was a gorgeous young rabbit. Her fur gray and her eyes bright and beautiful as an amethyst gemstone. Nicholas' low hanging jaw immediately rose back up into a more than pleased smile at the sublime sight before him.

He climbed down the rest of the way, desiring nothing more but to introduce himself to the lovely rabbit. Judith meanwhile, continued on with her song. Her eyes closed, lost in song, and completely unaware of the young suitor making his way toward her.

 _ **I'm wishing,**_

 ** _I'm wishing_**

 _ **For the one I love,**_

 _ **To find me,**_

 _ **To find me**_

 _ **Today…**_

Prince Nicholas suddenly popped up beside her by the well, echoing back her last word:

 _ **Todaaaaaaay!**_

"Waaahh!" Judith screamed in shock, shooting her eyes open and whacking the bucket beside her with enough force to send it flying right SMACK at Prince Nicholas' face!

"Aaghn!" Nicholas could swear his head was spinning over his shoulders as a goofy, clearly dazed look on his face overtook him. He lifted his finger to address an answer at all four of the bunnies he was currently seeing, "I found you-egh" The fox prince fell back down into the well. A big splash rising up after him.

"Aah! Oh no!" Judith gasped with her paws at her mouth. She quickly lowered the bucket down the well to lift the fox back up from it.

She groaned and clenched her teeth as she began to slowly pull up the now heavy bucket that was carrying the fox.

Upon lifting him up, Judith tied the rope to ensure he would not fall back in. She was glad to see he was unhurt, but he was soaked to the bone! Feeling completely and utterly embarrassed by her action, Judith frantically apologized to him, "Are you alright? I'm sorry! You surprised me and...I didn't mean to knock you down the well!"

Despite his soaked state, the fox prince couldn't help but smile, bearing her no Ill will, "Well, I guess that's one way a guy can fall for you," he chuckled with a flirty smile.

Judith suddenly felt all the blood rush to her cheeks and ears, causing her to blush hard at his flattering words. Could it be her wish had indeed come true? Could it be that this fox was the valiant prince from her dream? The one who vowed his love to her and took her away from this horrible nightmare? If so... _Oh..._ Judith groaned internally, feeling just so guilty and embarrassed that she'd made such a horrible first impression on the male that could have been the love of her life, "I'm so sorry! Please excuse me!" she choked and ran off on the verge of tears.

"W-Wait!" he called out after her, struggling to free his rear and tail from the bucket. "Come on, budge!" he pulled upward and popped right out of the bucket. All the while being cautious of not falling back into the well.

Judith meanwhile dashed toward her bedchamber, still feeling ashamed of herself.

"Wait Carrots! I-I mean Miss! Please Miss! I'm not angry or upset with you!" he raced after her desperately once freeing himself from the well.

Judith however didn't care. She could hear his words, but she still felt far too embarrassed to stop.

"Miss _please_!" Nicholas watched as she ran into a nearby room with an open balcony.

In his desperation, he suddenly remembered that she had garnered his attention through her singing. His sharp mind acting quickly, he figured perhaps he could do the same. He cleared his throat and removed his hat like a true gentlemammal and began to sing what he felt in his heart for her:

 _ **Now that I've found you,**_

 _ **Hear what I have to saaay,**_

Judith suddenly felt her heart stop upon hearing the fox's gentle voice call to her in song. Curious, she peeked out her balcony, still concealing herself behind the curtain. But rather than display the same look of mortification she previously had, she now bore a smile as the fox continued to serenade her from below her balcony.

 _ **One song,**_

 _ **I have but one song,**_

 _ **One song,**_

 _ **Only for you,**_

Judith saw how Nicholas twisted his cap to remove all the excess water from it. Nicholas' eyes widened a bit in surprise at just how much water his cap had soaked in. Regardless of it all, he just shrugged, humored by it and winked at her to let her know everything was all right. Judith giggled, feeling her heart flutter at the handsome fox and his charming demeanor. Hiding back behind the curtain, she wrapped her arms around herself and sighed. Hardly being able to contain the feeling of love the fox was filling her with. She felt nothing could ruin this moment, until she looked back down to the skirt of her dress. She felt self conscious. How could he possibly find her beautiful dressed in such ugly and tattered clothes?

To Nicholas however, none of that mattered. He didn't know why, but somehow he could feel there was more to this bunny than just her looks. He could see it in her eyes the moment he managed to stare directly into them - that is before she accidentally knocked him down into the well - but still!

Judith too, now looking at him well could tell that there was more to him too. He was after all trying to sweep her off her feet despite having seen her in her raggedy clothes. Fluffing up the fur of her cheeks and combing down the fur of her ears, Judith walked back out to stand at the balcony to be in Nicholas' view.

 _ **One heart,**_

 _ **Tenderly beating**_

 _ **Ever entreating,**_

 _ **Constant and true,**_

Seeing her perched out at her balcony at last, Nicholas could feel his heart and courage swell. Her love entranced smile, giving him the courage to take a step closer up the steps leading up to her balcony.

 _ **One love,**_

 _ **That has possessed me,**_

 _ **One love,**_

Queen Bellwether meanwhile stood to observe the two from her window. Her heart filled with jealousy at the sight of the fox prince serenading the fairer bunny princess - pouring his heart out to her. The sheep trembled with fury, feeling her heart fill with envy and hatred over the romantic scene, "Ugh!" she shut the curtains of her chamber window, refusing to view the scene any further.

 _ **Thrilling me through,**_

 _ **One song,**_

 _ **My heart keeps singing,**_

 _ **Of one love,**_

As he continued to serenade her, Judith took a flower hanging from a tree branch by her balcony and placed a tender kiss on it. She softly threw it down to Nicholas below her balcony.

 _ **Only for you**_

The flower weightlessly managed to glide its way down to Prince Nicholas' paw, landing flat on the pad of his palm. Keeping his warm emerald gaze upon Judith, he returned the kiss on the flower, his lips soft and tender as if it had been the rabbit's own lips he had placed a kiss upon.

He sighed happily, pressing the flower against his heart. All the while his beloved smiled lovingly back at him. Her heart so full of love and joy. Judith slowly closed the curtains of her balcony, not wanting to remove her gaze from the fox and hoping to meet with him again in the future.


	2. Pinickhio

_**A/N:**_

 _ **Sorry guys, had some technical difficulties there. Here they are reuploaded. Hopefully you can read them now. If not let me know.**_

 _ **.**_

 **Raspberries Challenge Entry #2: Pinocchio**

 **Pinickhio**

Once upon a time, there lived a kindly old clockmaker named Emmett Otterton. He lived on his own after the unfortunate passing of his wife some years ago. Having never had any children of his own, the otter passed the time focusing on his life's work - making clocks day in and day out.

A fruitful life financially, but empty without anyone to share it with.

In his loneliness, Emmett turned to carving marionettes. Fashioning most of them to look like children to serve as sort of surrogate children to him. He loved them all so dearly, but if he had to choose his favorite - it had to be a small red fox kit made of pine. The little fox marionette, clad in a pale yellow shirt, red overalls, a blue bowtie, and a yellow hat with a red feather was named Pinickhio by the kind otter.

One night as Emmett went to bed, he made a wish upon the evening star - asking it, praying to it - to please grant Pinickhio life, so that he may become a real fox and a real son to him.

His wish was granted.

For when Emmett fell asleep, a beautiful gazelle fairy with a blonde tuft of hair came to Pinickhio and granted him life. When the little wooden fox opened his brightly painted emerald eyes, the fairy promised him that she would make him into a real fox kit. But!...on one condition, "Prove yourself brave, truthful, and unselfish. And someday you will be a real fox."

To help him achieve this, the gazelle fairy gave the wooden kit a conscience. A conscience in the form of a small fennec fox named Finnick who had snuck into Emmett's home to seek shelter from the bitter cold. Though he did not possess the most admirable life, the gazelle fairy felt that this was the fennec fox's chance to make things right for himself - to learn from his past mistakes and to lead Pinickhio down the right path.

"Now remember Pinickhio, be a good boy. And always let your conscience be your guide," and just like that, the gazelle vanished. Leaving Pinickhio and Finnick to prove themselves worthy.

.

The bell tolled throughout the village, signaling to the children that it was time for school. As boys and girls of all species and sizes said good-bye to their parents and rushed off to the local schoolhouse, Pinickhio eagerly swung open the front door to gaze in amazement at all the children. There were so many different looking ones! There were big ones, there were little ones, there were some that looked like his father Emmett, and there were some fluffy long eared ones.

Speaking of which…...There actually was one of those that immediately caught his eye and made his chest feel funny. A pretty little bunny girl with gray fur and amethyst colored eyes that looked in Pinickhio's direction. She giggled and waved at him with a sweet friendly smile. Pinickhio returned a bashful smile and waved back as she skipped off along with other similar looking rabbits.

After watching her disappear into the distance, Pinickhio's attention turned to another equally amazing sight. There, making their way to school, were a group of mammals that looked just like him. In his excitement, Pinickhio began hopping around the porch, following their every movement with his eyes.

His father, Emmett Otterton, came out the front door to place a formal little black vest on the puppet to make him look presentable for his first day of school. The eager Pinickhio however, was having a difficult time standing still as he hopped around eagerly. "Look father! Look!" the little wooden kit called out in a hop.

Emmett chuckled at the young puppet's eagerness, "Hold still, Pinickhio."

"What are those?" the little wooden kit asked Emmett.

"Huh?" Emmett lifted his gaze to the children making their way to school. "Oh, those. They're foxes and your schoolmates, Pinickhio. Girls and boys-"

"Real boys?" Pinickhio cut him off, finally standing still. Amazed at the revelation.

"Yes," Emmett answered as he finally managed to put the vest on Pinickhio. "And I'm sure they're all eager to become your friends."

"Friends?" Pinickhio beamed at the word.

"Yes, now hurry. You don't want to be late," Emmett gently shooed him down the small steps of their porch. "Oh! Wait my son!" Pinickhio stopped, wondering what his father could want of him. "I almost forgot," Emmett came down the steps with an ABC book and an apple. He breathed on the apple and shined it up nice on the sleeve of his blouse for Pinickhio. "Here's your book and here's a nice apple for your teacher." Pinickhio smiled. "Alright, now turn around and let me look you over," Emmett told him with a proud chuckle.

The little fox puppet obeyed his father and turned only his body around, keeping his head in place.

"Perfect. Run along now." Pinickhio joyfully skipped on toward school, feeling excited and eager to meet real foxes and make dozens of new friends.

"Goodbye father!" he called back to Emmett.

"Goodbye son! Hurry back!"

As the town's children continued to race on toward school, a red fox by the name of John Worthington Foulfellow and his mute feline sidekick, Gideon, made their way about the crowded path. "Ah Gideon, listen. The merry laughter of little innocent children wending their way to school," said the red fox to his companion. "Thirsty little minds rushing to the fountain of knowledge. Haha! School, a noble institution. What would this stupid world be without-" Honest John stopped short, noticing a poster depicting a heavy set ram named Stromboli with a pair of marionettes. "Well, well, well, Stromboli! So that old rascal is back in town, eh? Hahahaha! Remember Giddy the time I tied strings on you and passed you off as a puppet? Hahahaha! We nearly put one over on that old gypsy that time! Hahaha! Hahahaha!"

Honest John and Gideon continued on their merry way, laughing boisterously until they came across a most unexpected sight. There, skipping along the same path but heading in the opposite direction as them was… "A little wooden fox. Now who to-" Honest John and Gideon froze. "A wooden fox?!" Honest John gasped as he and Gideon followed after the wooden kit. They hid behind a brick wall to spy on the young kit and ensure their eyes did not deceive them. "Look Giddy! Look! It's amazing! A live puppet without strings! A thing like that ought to be worth a fortune to someone. Now let me see…" Honest John rolled his eyes up in thought, his gaze landing upon the poster he had seen earlier. "That's it! Stromboli! Why that fat old faker would give his-Listen! If we play our cards right, we'll be on easy street. Or my name isn't Honest John. Quick we'll head him off."

Honest John and Gideon made their way behind a brick wall walking along the path Pinickhio was taking - following the young puppet's every move - still amazed at the sight of a moving living puppet. The hustler fox quickened his pace and pulled his mute feline companion by the neck with the crook of his cane until they arrived at the other end of the wall. Now ahead of him, it was the perfect opportunity to catch him!

Honest John and Gid waited and brainstormed on how to go about catching the unsuspecting puppet. "Shh," Honest John shushed to his friend, "Now's our-" Honest John's eyes widened upon noticing his associate lifting a mallet, ready to bop the young puppet on his head. "No, no stupid!" Honest John said, removing the mallet from Gid. "Don't be crude." Honest John uttered, bopping the silent feline over the head with the mallet. Gid gave no reaction, save for a single hiccup. "Let me handle this. Here he comes."

He spun around to face Gideon, pretending to be lost in conversation with the feline. "Ah, yes Giddy. As I was saying to the Duchess only yesterday-" The cunning fox casually slid his cane back, causing the incoming Pinickhio to trip on it.

 _CLANK!_

"Oh! Oh, how clumsy of me," uttered Honest John, feigning concern for the young puppet. "My, my, my. Tsk, tsk, tsk." Honest John clicked his tongue as he and Gideon helped the boy up, messily re-adjusting Pinickhio's bowtie and hat. "Oh I'm terribly sorry. Oh, I do hope you're not injured."

"I'm alright," Pinickhio responded.

Honest John sighed in relief, "Splendid!"

Gideon meanwhile, pulled out a small brush to help dust off the wooden kit clean. In the process of dusting him off, a greedy Gideon tugged at Pinickhio's back pocket, pulling it wide to see if he had any money on him. He apparently did as Gideon reached in only to have Honest John smack him on the head with his cane, pushing the feline's head down below his shoulders and into his shirt.

Pinickhio reached down for his book and apple, but Honest John picked them up first. The older fox rudely took a bite out of the apple and opened up the ABC book. He held it upside down,"Well, well, quite the scholar I see. Look Giddy, a mammal of letters." Honest John lowered the book to his mute associate to see. With a humored chuckle, the fox returned the book to Pinickhio, "Here's your book."

Pinickhio took his book and innocently pointed ahead with a smile, "I'm going to school!" He started to march off on his way again when Honest John pulled him back with his cane.

"School?" Honest John questioned, "Then you haven't heard of the easy road to success."

"Uh-uh," Pinickhio shook his head.

"No? I'm speaking my boy of the theatre!" Honest John exclaimed, draping his cape over himself in a dramatic flare. "Here's your apple." he said placing it back on the wooden kit's palm. Pinickhio grimaced seeing that the older fox had already eaten it and only handed him the core. Taking absolutely no notice to the boy's frown, Honest John continued with his speech, "Bright lights, music, applause! _Fame_ ," Honest John said, raising his brows.

" _Fame_?" Pinickhio repeated, imitating Honest John's brow gesture.

"Yes! You're a fox after all! Just like me! And let me tell you from one fox to another, there's no greater occupation for a fox than the life of an actor!"

"Really?" Pinickhio asked, amazed by such a detail.

"Absolutely my dear boy! And with that personality. That profile! That physique! Why he's a natural born actor. Eh Giddy?" Honest John said with a wink and a jab of his elbow to Gideon. The cat responded in kind with several goofy nods.

"But I'm going to-" Pinickhio tried to argue, attempting to continue on his path toward school.

"Straight to the top!" Honest John interrupted, turning the boy in the opposite direction and leading him on a new path, "Why, I can see your name in lights! Lights six feet high! Uh...What is your name?"

"Pinickhio!"

"Pinickhio! P-I-N-eh-Y-I-uh-P-I-Ohoho!" he chuckled, trailing off after fumbling his name. "How about we just call you Nick for short?"

"Okay! That kinda sounds like how my friend Finnick calls me. Except he calls me Nicky or Nicko."

"Then Nick it is then!" Honest John cheered. He's got him right where he wants him. "Now, on to the theatre!" the older fox declared, breaking into song as he and Gideon lead Pinickhio toward his 'promising career' as an actor.

 _ **Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee**_

 _ **An actor's life for me**_

 _ **A high silk hat and a silver cane**_

 _ **A watch of gold with a diamond chain**_

 _ **Hi-Diddle-Dee-Day**_

 _ **An actor's life is gay**_

 _ **It's great to be a celebrity**_

 _ **An actor's life for me**_

 _ **Ta dum diddle dee dum**_

 _ **Ti dee um dee dum**_

 _ **Ta dum diddle dee dum**_

 _ **Ta dum ta dum**_

 _ **Hi-Diddle-Dee-Di**_

 _ **Ta dee de dum ta dee**_

 _ **Ta dum diddle dee dum**_

 _ **Ta dum ta dum**_

 _ **Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dum**_

 _ **An actor's life is fun!**_

Elsewhere, Finnick raced through the streets while simultaneously attempting to dress himself. "Some conscious I turned out to be. Late on the first day-come on!" he strained between his teeth as he slipped on his black coat. "Oh well, I doubt Nick can get into much trouble on his way to school."

The miniature fennec fox stopped beside a bridge on his path to tuck his nightshirt into his pants when suddenly...

 _ **Ta dum diddle dee dum**_

 _ **Ta dum ta dum**_

The sounds of merry singing caught his ear. This could only mean one thing, "Oh no, a parade," the small fox groaned. "I guess I better move before I get stepped on." Finnick stepped aside, crossing his arms and leaning against the stone to allow the marching mammals to pass.

 _ **An actor's life for me**_

"Ugh _finally_!" Finnick growled under his breath once the mammals passed by. He made his way back onto the bridge only to hear a young, yet strangely familiar voice sing from behind him.

 _ **Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee**_

 _ **An actor's life for me!**_

Finnick glanced back doing a double take, "What the-?" There, marching beside a singing red fox and a brown feline was Pinickhio!

 _ **A waxed mustache**_

 _ **And a beaver coat**_

 _ **A pony cart**_

 _ **And a billy goat**_

"Pinickhio?!" Finnicked gasped confused. _The school's on the other side of town_ , thought the small fennec fox, _So where...?_ Realizing he had no time to waste with questions, Finnick ran after him, "Hey Nicko! Where you goin'!"

 _ **Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dum**_

 _ **An actor's life is fun**_

 _ **You wear your hair in a pompadour**_

 _ **You ride around in a coach and four**_

Finnick raced and slid down a stairway rail, desperately trying to reach the young wooden fox, "Wait! Nick!" The fennec fox called to the young puppet but received no answer, the older red fox's singing completely drowned out Finnick's calls.

"Stop!" Finnick called once more only to have a completely distracted Honest John push Finnick away with a flare of his musically wandering paws. Finnick fell tail first with a dazed head. He shook it off to call for Pinickhio once more, "Hold on! Nicko!"

 _ **You stop and buy out a candy store**_

 _ **An actor's life for me,**_

"That does it," Finnick growled. He's had enough.

 _ **Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee**_

 _ **An actor's life for me**_

 _ **With clothes that come from the finest shop**_

 _ **And lots of peanuts and soda pop**_

 _ **Hi-**_

He ran after them and whistled as loud as he could, "HEY! PINICKHIO!"

"What was that?" Honest John asked turning every which way until he looked down and spotted the angry Finnick.

"Oh! It's Finnick!" chirped a happy Pinickhio.

"Finnick?" questioned Honest John to the puppet.

"He's my conscious!" Pinickhio replied innocently.

"Ah! So this is your conscious," said Honest John, feigning excitement. "I didn't know one of your schoolmates served as your conscious."

"Schoolmates?" echoed an angry Finnick, "I'm a grown fox!"

"Really?!" Honest John gasped in shock, "Could've fooled me. I thought you were a bit tall for your age!" he snickered, jabbing Gideon with an elbow, eliciting an inaudible chuckle from the silent feline.

"What'd you say?!" Finnick snarled at them, balling his little paws into fists, "You're lucky I have to set a good example for the kid. Otherwise I'd wipe that smirk off your face!"

"My, my, my, what a temper. We must be cautious Giddy. Seems like the grown fox has grown short with us. Hahahahaha!" They threw their heads back, laughing boisterously, while Pinickhio looked on wondering what's so funny... and what's made Finnick so angry?

Speaking of which…

"What are you doing here?" Pinickhio asked his fennec fox conscious.

"I could ask you the same thing kid. Ain't you supposed to be in school? And who are these guys?" asked the miniature fennec with a sour look on his face.

"They're my friends," Pinickhio responded innocently, "This is Gideon," Gideon tipped his hat to Finnick. "And that's Honest John. He's a fox! Just like me and you!" Pinickhio pointed happily at the older red fox.

"Charmed," Honest John responded with a sarcastic bow.

Finnick only glared at him with an angry mumble.

"He's gonna make me an actor!" Pinickhio replied ecstatically.

"An actor?! No, no, no. You're going to school kid."

"But Finnick, Honest John says an actor's life is the only life for a real fox."

"What? This guy told you that?" Finnick gave Honest John a dirty look and took Pinickhio by the paw, pulling him a few feet away from the two deceiving mammals, "Come 'ere kid."

"What's wrong Finn-" Finnick raised a paw, stopping the young fox puppet from finishing his sentence.

"I'll tell you what's wrong. Those two are lyin' to you," Finnick whispered to the little puppet. "Foxes aren't _supposta_ be actors. I'm not an actor and neither are you! You're a kit. You're supposta be in school. Learning how not to end up like that guy!" Finnick pointed to Honest John, who simply placed a dramatic tattered gloved paw at his chest as if saying, _'moi?'_

Finnick continued, "Look kid, if you wanna be polite about it that's okay. Just tell 'im thanks all the same but you _gotta go to_ school."

"And he shall!" Honest John cut in, placing an arm around the tiny fennec. "Acting school that is!"

"Wait. Wha-!" Finnick hissed before being so rudely interrupted once again by Honest John.

"Finnick was it? Come with me. Talk with me," Honest John said, guiding Finnick away from Pinickhio's hearing reach. They stopped behind a wall to speak in private, "Now listen my tiny friend. You're a fox, right? I'm sure you know all too well the paths our kind are destined to follow. I'm just looking out for the boy."

"Puh, yeah. Lookin' out how you can exploit 'im to make a profit you mean," Finnick scoffed.

"Exactly!" Honest John admitted without shame. "After all let's face facts, that solo moving puppet is a gold mine! You're his conscious right? Don't you think it would be wrong of you to keep him from a promising future with _heavy_ _financial rewards_? Hmm?" Honest John lifted his brows, attempting to tempt Finnick into going along with the plan. "Think about it, as his conscious that gives you a right to a heavy cut. If not _all_ of dear Nicky's cut considering he's still too young to utilize his own earnings."

Finnick's eyes widened in amazement. _That would be a lot of moola_ , the fennec thought with a mischievous smirk as he imagined all the money he could make with the little fox puppet. Given all the financial hardships he's gone through his whole life, this could be his big break! He could have anything he's ever wanted! Money, girls, his own place - heck a mansion even!

….Finnick's smile fell and he shook his head as his own conscious returned to him. "No! No! Sorry 'pal', but ain't doin'! I'm not betrayin' the kid and I ain't about to let you ruin his life neither!" Finnick declared bravely and loyally.

"Really? Is that so? Never thought I'd see the day when a fellow fox would turn down such an opportunity."

"Guess there's a first time for everythin' chump. I'm takin' that kid to school and if you don't like it, try an stop me-eeh!"

Honest John snatched Finnick up in the air. Hanging him high by the coattails of his coat, "Hey what the?! Put me down ya no good piece a-"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Temper, temper," Honest John tisked, "We don't want young Nick to hear you say such foul words. But I will tell him you send him your warm regards and the best of luck."

"Wha-!" Finnick yelled before being tossed into a barrel. Honest John slammed the lid hard down on top of the barrel, muffling Finnick's foul ranting.

"You're a heck of a conscious by the way. Not that it did you much good here." With a bump of his hips Honest John sent the barrel rolling down the hill with Finnick still inside.

 _CRASH!_

The barrel crashed against a thick tree. The lid popped open, allowing a dizzy Finnick to waddle his way out of the barrel before collapsing right next to it.

Atop the hill, Honest John laughed boisterously and made his way back to Pinickhio and Gideon.

Pinickhio looked around curiously, unable to spot his conscious anywhere. "Where's Finnick?"

"Finnick?" Honest John asked, "Oh! He went back home, but he told me to tell you that he changed his mind. He wants you to be an actor and wishes you the best of luck!"

"Really?" Pinickhio asked with a big innocent smile.

"Yes! Now come along Nicky! We have to make you a star!"

"Okay!" Though unable to see him, Pinickhio waved good-bye to Finnick in hopes that his conscious would still hear him. "Good-bye Finnick! Good-bye!"

Honest John and Gideon guided Pinickhio back down the path toward Stromboli's. They resumed their song as Finnick regained consciousness and Pinickhio's words at last reached his large ears. "Good-bye? Good-bye?!"

Finnick shook his head, shaking off the dizziness and watched Pinickhio walk off into the distance with Honest John and Gideon. Finnick slapped a frustrated paw to his forehead with a groan, "That kid's dumber and more gullible than a rabbit! Hey Nick! NICK!"

No response. It's hopeless. Honest John's singing completely tuned out any of Finnick's desperate calls. "Great! What do I do now? Should I tell his dad?" Finnick questioned to himself. "Nah, I ain't no snitch. I'll go after 'im myself."

Finnick tipped his hat forward in a determined manner and ran after them, hoping to stop Pinickhio from ruining his young life and his chances of ever becoming a real fox.


	3. Jimbo

Raspberries Challenge #3: Dumbo

 **Jimbo**

Nick Wilde and Judy Wilde-Hopps both loved the circus. It is how they met after all. To them there was no greater thing they loved more than going out together in front of the crowd and entertaining them with their incredible acrobatic feats.

That is until…

Their son was born. Then, there was something far more important in their lives.

Little James Wilde, or rather "Jimbo" as his father so affectionately loved to call him, became the talk of the circus upon his arrival. Not because the other circus performers were excited about the new baby, but because they couldn't stop gossiping about the baby's... unique appearance.

Being the hybrid son of a fox and a rabbit, James' physical appearance was considered anything but normal - having been born with the overall appearance of a fox, but still having some clear distinguishing rabbit-like features. His fur for example, gray and soft, just like his mother's with a white underbelly reaching all the way down to the lower half of his tail. But with black paws, feet, ears and tail tip like his father. His eyes, a dark shade of amethyst and a small pair of buck teeth at the forefront of his mouth. His tail, long like his father's, though curved a bit upward, puffy, and a little wider on the sides; giving it a similar look to a stretched out cotton tail.

Though much of his overall appearance didn't seem too otherworldly, the one physical feature that no one could seem to resist pointing out were his ears.

Pointed and mostly triangular like his father's, but unnaturally long and a bit narrower at the base. Thin in girth, soft, pink on the inside, and sensitive to touch like his mother's own ears.

Though his loving parents found absolutely nothing wrong with James, the same sentiments did not hold with the other members of the circus, particularly his parent's fellow acrobats - the sheep. To them it was commonplace to berate the young hybrid with harsh names such as "freak", "funny ears", and of course...their absolute favorite, "Dumbo". A harsh play on the loving nickname given to the kit by his father and of the fact that he was half rabbit, ie half dumb bunny.

Things were tough for Nick, Judy, and James during the baby's first year of life, but they managed to make due. What was hardest though was to keep the kit concealed from judgemental eyes. His father Nick, though unsure if the boy could understand him yet would constantly remind him, "Don't ever let them see that they get to you" followed by Judy adding, "And know that we'll always love you no matter what." Though barely able to understand them given his young age, James would simply smile up at them and cuddle into his parent's warm embrace.

As long as he had them and their love, James didn't need anything else.

But one day…

James' happiness was torn away.

A dark day when his parents were arrested and labeled as savages by the press for attacking a crowd of circus goers. What the papers refused to cover however, was that the fox and rabbit couple only attacked the crowd because their child was being mocked, physically tortured, and treated as if he were a part of the circus' freakshow division by a group of troublesome boys led by a young orange-eyed elephant.

Nick and Judy naturally defended their child - Judy by grabbing the young troublemaker mocking her baby and spanking him in attempt to discipline him. While Nick, defended both his wife and child when the mocking boy's father attempted to violently stop Judy from disciplining his son.

When the authorities arrived, they immediately sided with the elephants as neither they nor anyone trusted the word of freaks against the word of an "innocent" child. Because of this, James was separated from his mother and father. And to make matters worse he was made into a clown and shunned by the other acrobats - even more so than he already was.

He hadn't a friend in the world…

Except, for a short fennec fox named Finnick. A circus usher, Finnick had long been James' father, Nick's best friend and when he learned what had happened to the boy's parents he took it upon himself to care for the young hybrid kit.

Though gruff and rough around the edges, Finnick knew what it was like to be an outcast and ridiculed for having large ears. Feeling sorry for him, Finnick made it his mission to make James the most beloved class A circus star the world has ever seen! Big ears or not.

.

Finnick and little James sat just outside the clown tent as Finnick cleaned the smeared makeup off of the young hybrid's face. The clowns inside the tent meanwhile, made greater fools of themselves in their drunken stupor - gabbing about how successful their latest performance was and giving a toast to James or rather…"Dumbo".

They, along with little James had just finished performing the ringmaster's newest money making circus act: The baby clown rescue from a burning building - with James serving as the baby who had to jump out of a burning building down to a trampoline hovering over a large cream filled pie dish.

"See? I told ya you'd be a big hit. They're drinkin' a toast to ya!" Finnick said as he washed the young mixed kit's face. James however didn't care, all he knew was that he missed his mommy and daddy. The mere thought of them brought a much warranted tear down the baby's cheeks. He sniffled.

Finnick gave an awkward pause, not knowing how to comfort the young child. "You uh...you're terrific! Colossal! Stupendous!" Finnick finished wiping the toddler's sniffling face clean. "There ya go kid. Good as new." James continued to sniffle with new fresh tears running down his face. "Come on don't cry like that kid. You're uh...you're a success. You oughta be proud!"

James only teared up some more. "Uh…" Finnick scratched the back of his head. What can he do to cheer him up? He reached into his pocket, "Hey look! I got a peanut! Want it? It's full of vitamins…and..."

James only responded with an irritated mewl and shoved finnick's arm away. He's not understanding! That's not what he wants! James hopped off the small box he sat on and waddled across to the tent in front of them. He stood on the tips of his toes to point up to an ad promoting Nick and Judy's acrobatic act. "Mm…" he whimpered, still unable to properly speak. Finnick looked up realizing that he was pointing up to an image of his parents.

Finnick grimaced sadly, "Sorry kid. Your mom and dad can't be here right now."

Unable to understand, James pointed up at them again and whimpered desperately.

"No Jimbo. It's late. And they're like ten blocks up the road. I can't-"

"Mm…" James whimpered again, while hiccuping new tears. Though Finnick never believed he could ever have a soft spot, the look the kit gave him just made his heart hurt.

He groaned agitatingly, "Can't believe I'm doin' this…" Finnick sighed. "Alright, I'll take you to see your folks."

James smiled, somehow immediately understanding the fennec fox's words. The happy baby rushed to hug Finnick.

Finnick smiled, but quickly shook it off. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. No Need to get mushy kid. Come on, I'll take you to your parents." Little James took Finnick's paw and the two snuck out of the circus.

It was a long trek, but they finally made it to the police station where James' parents were being held.

Within one of the holding cells, Judy sniffled, tears running down her cheeks, while her muzzled husband could only comfort her through the metal bars from his adjoining cell. Though he tried to be strong for her, Nick was trembling - he'd always had a secret fear of muzzles and now he was forced to wear one. He felt so emotionally broken, what with the cold feel of the metallic device restricting his mouth, the evident pain his wife was in, and of course the thought of their little son being all alone. Despite his fears, the sight of his normally strong wife crying was far more painful to him than having to wear a muzzle.

Nick peeked toward the guard in charge of the holding cells - he was asleep.

Nick reached into Judy's cell to cup her chin, "It's okay darlin'. It'll all be okay…" he muffled through the muzzle with a shaky voice, struggling to keep from tearing up himself.

"No it's not," Judy said between sobs, "We're here, locked up in a prison cell when all we were trying to do was protect our baby." She paused as her breath hitched, "And now...poor little James is all by himself...he's probably so scared...and-and…" A fresh stream of tears ran down her cheeks. "I don't know if anyone's even taking care of him." Judy covered her eyes with her paws, sobbing.

Nick felt a greater need to caress her cheek in comfort. He swallowed hard as a tear managed to escape him. He couldn't stand to see her like this and of course he couldn't stand either knowing that their one year old son was helpless and alone.

"Why did I think I could discipline that kid?!" Judy cried suddenly, "If I hadn't lost it and spanked him then little James wouldn't be alone right now and we wouldn't be here," Judy placed a paw over Nick's. She looked up at him with tears at the brim of her eyes and ran a finger over the metal of the muzzle, "I'm so sorry sweetheart...you wouldn't be wearing this horrible thing if it weren't for me…"

"Hey, hey," Nick comforted as he wiped a thumb over a running tear on her cheek. "Don't say that. It's my fault I'm stuck wearing this thing. I'm the one who bit that charging elephant's tail after all. But believe me Carrots, I'd do it all over again if it means keeping you and James safe. And even though we are here, I'm proud of you for trying to keep our boy safe. I never knew a bunny could tackle an elephant, even a young one," he chuckled lightly.

Judy hiccuped, wiping a tear from her eye. Despite her fears for their son, Nick's words managed to bring a semblance of a smile.

"There," he smiled at her, "Now no more crying or else you're gonna get me going too, hehe." Nick chuckled with a single tear running down his cheek. Judy chuckled with him, her eyes still glossy. "Besides," Nick continued, "I'll bet Finnick's been watching over James for us."

Judy sniffled, "You think so?"

"You bet. He's talks big and acts like he doesn't care, but that talk really doesn't match his height."

Judy let out a breathy chuckle. She wiped her remaining tears away and rested her head against the bars next to Nick's head. She sighed with a shaky breath, "I just wish we could see our baby. I miss him so much…"

Finnick and James turned the corner into the alleyway just outside Nick and Judy's holding cells. "There it is," Finnick said pointing to the barred windows. "Cozy little place ain't it?"

Right outside the cell windows, there were a stack of crates leading up to the windows. "Huh, that's convenient." Finnick carried James as best he could up the large crates, until they were at the very top. Finnick stood in front of James, wanting to make it a surprise to his parents. "Just hope your folks are in here. Psst...Psst! Nick! Judy!"

Nick and Judy's ears stood on end when they heard the familiar gruff voice. Without a word, the two climbed on top of their cell benches to look out their respective windows.

"Finnick!" exclaimed the two in an excited whisper upon laying eyes on their friend.

"Hey guys," Finnick gave them a two finger salute in greeting.

"What're you doing here? How's James?" Judy asked desperately.

"Well," Finnick stepped aside, revealing their son standing right behind him, "Why don't you ask 'im yourself?"

Judy gasped happily with tears of joy swelling in her eyes.

"James!"

"Jimbo!" both Judy and Nick called out happily.

James smiled wide and reached out two little paws, "Mama! Dada!" He wobbled over against the wall beneath their cell windows. Nick and Judy stretched out an arm each while James clasped both his little paws up to his parents. Before the little kit knew it, his tiny paws had at last clasped at his mother and father's fingers. A surge of warm affection ran through the baby. He cooed up at them with an innocent smile.

Tears of joy ran down both Nick and Judy's cheeks as they moved their paws up to their child's face, each of them caressing one of the baby's soft cheeks. James smiled, until joy overwhelmed him and he immediately wrapped his little arms around his parent's arms, tearing up as he did. The baby wiped his tears away on his parent's paws, resting his relieved face on both their paws.

Judy released a sobbing breath, for though they were still parted by prison walls they were a family again. Even if it was just for this moment.

Still…

It wasn't enough. She wished so much that she could hold her baby and rock him to sleep as she used to. To just let him know that his mommy and daddy were there for him.

James looked up to her and as if reading her thoughts, he tried to climb onto their paws. He was still so tiny. Often times he would easily fit into one of Nick's paws alone. Nick and Judy's eyes widened and an idea popped into their minds simultaneously. They pulled their paws away for a moment from the baby and Nick offered his paw to Judy. Judy placed her paw over his with palm up. They lowered their joined paws back down to the baby, like a swing in a playground. Knowing what to do, the baby took a seat on their conjoined paws as they rocked him gently to and fro.

Judy began to sing the baby his favorite lullaby with Nick adding in the occasional "Baby Mine"...

 _ **Baby mine,**_

 _ **Don't you cry**_

 _ **Baby mine,**_

 _ **Dry your eyes**_

 _ **Rest your head**_

 _ **Close to my heart,**_

 _ **Never to part,**_

 _ **Baby of mine**_

Despite his rough exterior, Finnick smiled happily and stepped aside to let them have their family moment together. He looked up to the sky as a warm parental air spread throughout the city…

Everywhere around the city mothers and fathers tucked their children in for the night. Kissing them goodnight and sweet dreams. It was as if James' lullaby was for every child, no matter the species or their current living condition.

 _ **Little one when you play,**_

 _ **Don't you mind what they say,**_

 _ **Let those eyes sparkle and shine**_

 _ **Never a tear,**_

 _ **Baby of mine**_

Judy and Nick hummed, as around the circus some of the other performers with children rocked their little ones to sleep. To them, there were no fears about whether or not they'd see each other come morning. They knew they had another day to look forward to together and without the fear of being judged as a freak for simply being what they were.

Regardless if his parents could come with him or not, all James knew was that he was enjoying this moment and wished it could last forever.

Overwhelmed with the sweet air of it all, Finnick teared up a bit, letting a lone tear run down his face. He wiped it off and cleared his throat.

As much as he hated to end the sweet moment...it was time to go.

 _ **From your head**_

 _ **To your toes**_

 _ **Baby mine,**_

 _ **You're so sweet, goodness knows**_

 _ **Baby mine,**_

Finnick gave Nick and Judy a sign that they had to head back. They nodded sadly. "Don't worry. I promise I'll bring 'im back if I can," he whispered to them.

Judy nodded and teared up at the lullaby's next lyric...

 _ **You are so precious to me,**_

Nick teared up as well the second he heard Judy sing that. James was just as precious to him too and didn't want to part ways with him either.

 _ **Cute as can be,**_

 _ **Baby of mine**_

 _ **Baby mine,**_

Finnick gently carried James down from his parents' paws. "Come on kid, we gotta go." James held on tight to his parent's paws before Finnick could go down the first crate.

 _ **Baby mine…...**_

Finnick carried the baby down, while the little hybrid kit's paws slowly parted with those of his parents. Once they were down the crates, Finnick held James' paw and led him away back to the circus, while James kept waving good-bye to his imprisoned parents.

Finnick and James turned a corner and were gone from sight. Despite that she couldn't see them anymore, Judy desperately hopped over to the other window her cell had available and continued to wave good-bye to her baby.


	4. Twitterpated

Raspberries Challenge #4: Bambi

 **Twitterpated**

Spring was always such a lovely time in Zootopia. The sun was shining bright with life, the flowers were blooming, and everywhere throughout the city young couples were singing a chippery little spring song!

 _ **Let's sing a gay little spring song,**_

 _ **This is the season to sing**_

 _ **So I'd like to suggest**_

 _ **That we all do our best**_

 _ **And warble a song about spring,**_

 _ **Spring, spring, spring**_

 _ **Let's get together and sing,**_

Yes, all over Zootopia couples of all shapes and sizes were getting into the spring spirit. Young couples to be exact - whether they be of the same gender, same species or mixed species, everyone was showing love toward their significant other in one way or another.

 _ **Let's sing a gay little spring song**_

 _ **Just like the bird on the wing**_

 _ **Things always seem right**_

 _ **When you're chipper and bright**_

 _ **So let's get together and sing**_

 _ **Sing, sing, sing**_

 _ **Let's sing a song about spring,**_

Spring's influence resonated everywhere throughout the city, but most evidently at the park. Couples at the park were expressing their love for each other in their own unique ways.

There were two pigs snuggling snouts. A couple of elephants walked along the concrete path, holding trunks. And a teenage racoon gave a teenage vixen a flower. She gave him a peck on the cheek and the young raccoon sighed.

 _ **Let's twitter and tweet,**_

A young male wildebeest literally tweeted his girlfriend a kissy face emoji with a heart. His girlfriend, who sat on the opposite side of the bench received his tweet and sent him a kissy face emoji as well. They looked back over to one another with a loving gaze.

Practically everyone was falling victim to spring's influence...

 _ **Like the birdies in May**_

 _ **Get into the mood**_

 _ **And be merry today**_

 _ **Forget all your troubles and warble away,**_

That is...everyone except Bogo, the middle aged water buffalo that served as the Chief of Police in the city's Precinct 1. It was his day off and the tired old water buffalo napped at one of the park benches. He thought to get away from all the lovey dovey attitudes going on around his neighborhood and assumed the park would be the perfect quiet place to get away from it all - boy was he wrong.

He took one last snore before sputtering awake. "Wha-? Who-Who's ther-" Bogo looked around to realize that spring truly was everywhere! Nowhere was safe, not even his usual quiet spot in the park. "Oh what now?" he groaned, annoyed with it all.

 _ **Do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do**_

 _ **Oh!**_

 _ **Let's sing a gay little spring song**_

 _ **Music's a wonderful thing**_

He looked around. There were chippery and merry young couples all around him. It was like a plague! "Hey! Hey!" yelled the grumpy water buffalo, "Stop that racket! Scat! Shoo! Shoo!" His angry shouts fell on deaf ears as everyone continued to sing and act lovey dovey toward one another.

 _ **Come on and rejoice,**_

 _ **At the top of your voice**_

 _ **Oh, let's sing a song about spring**_

 _ **Spring, Spring, spring**_

"I'll show them." He cleared his throat with a very polite, "Ahem," spoke as gently as he could, "Excuse me, but could you all just please be a little more...QUIET!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. That finally got a reaction as all the young couples at the park immediately flinched and grew quiet, greatly intimidated by the buffalo.

"There," he huffed triumphantly, "That's more like it." He resumed his nap. Only to be awakened from it two seconds later when everyone resumed their singing again.

 _ **Let's get together and sing**_

 _ **Let's sing a gay little spring song**_

 _ **This is the season to sing,**_

 _ **Ah, ah, ah**_

Bogo sputtered awake again. He covered his ears, while simultaneously gripping his head in frustration, "Oh, what's the use?" He got up and left. Opting to seek out a quieter section of the park to continue his nap.

He moved to a quieter, less occupied area and found a lone bench. The grumpy buffalo plopped himself down, "Same thing every spring," he grumbled annoyedly. " _ **Let's sing a little song about spring,**_ " he mocked, " Love's sweet song," he cupped his hooves and batted his eyes. "Bleh! Pain in the tail is what it is." Bogo crossed his arms in a huff and yawned. With his eyes growing heavy, he resumed his nap and snored for about five seconds when-

"Flowers sir?"

"Aah! Wha-?!" Bogo awoke in a shock, waking up to the sight of flowers pressed against his face. He looked down to the mammal holding the bouquet of flowers - it was a somewhat familiar looking red fox with emerald eyes dressed in a green Pawaiian shirt, brown khakis, and a red and blue tie. "What is this?"

"Flowers! It is spring! Care to buy some for your sweetheart? This pretty little number right here is going at half the price you'd pay for it at the store."

"Swee-? Look fox, I'm not interested in buying flowers!" Bogo shoved the flowers away from his face.

The red fox held on tightly to his flowers, ensuring that they didn't fall from his grasp. "Boy, I'll bet the ladies just go crazy for you with that irresistible charm-" The fox said, before taking a good look at the buffalo. "Bogo?"

The grumpy buffalo's eyes widened. "How do you know my name?"

"You really don't recognize me?" the fox scoffed casually, "And here I thought I made more of an impact given how angry you used to get whenever I played in your yard."

Bogo's jaw dropped, "Wilde? Nick Wilde?!" the buffalo exclaimed in surprise.

"The one and only!" Nick stated casually.

"My, my you haven't changed a bit! ...What a shame," he muttered at the end.

"Ha! Glad to see you haven't lost your sense of humor there Buffalo Butt."

"Shut your mouth Wilde!" Bogo rebuked in a huff.

Nick gave him a cocky smile, missing this type of banter from his old next door neighbor.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Bogo inquired curiously, "I thought you moved away ever since your mother…"

Nick's ears fell back in sadness. Bogo's words reminding him of the day he lost his mother years ago when he was a nine year old kit. She had been taken from him when a vengeful criminal stalked and followed them on their way home from school. He could still remember the terror in his mother's eyes when they reached a fenced alleyway. She had managed to create a hole for him to crawl through and once she was sure he was on the other side, she had told him to run to the neighbor's home and call his father. Nick initially refused until his mother promised him that she would meet him there. Nick trusted her and fled. The last thing he remembered was seeing her running back out the opposite end of the alleyway, luring their stalker away from him - and desperately shouting to him to _run and not look back_.

After that, he could only very vaguely recall hearing a single loud piercing sound...then silence…

His mother never arrived to Bogo's home as she promised she would.

Bogo called Nick's father, Jonathan Wilde, who was the highly respected Chief of Police of Zootopia's precinct one at the time. His father arrived some hours later to pick the boy up from Bogo's home and told Nick the sad, terrible news that his mother couldn't be with him anymore.

Given his father's position, Nick hardly ever saw him during his first few years of life as he was always busy 'protecting the city from bad mammals' - as his mother would put it. Heavy responsibility was hardly the only thing his father had to worry about however, as his position also brought forth many risks - particularly the risk of crime lords and other criminals vowing revenge on the chief reynard for putting them away behind bars.

After his mother was killed, Chief Wilde had spend countless hours, days, weeks, and months to capture his wife's murderer, but he was ultimately unsuccessful. Though he never openly expressed his grief, Nick could still see the hurt in his father's eyes whenever he would ask him about his mother's killer. The last time he had asked, Nick was ten years old and the only answer his father had given him was that he had asked for a transfer to a different precinct in another district.

Nearly twenty years had passed since then and Nick decided to finally come back to Zootopia. For what purpose he had no idea, he simply felt the need to come back to his old childhood home.

Bogo noticed the fox's sudden silence and felt a wave of guilt for having reminded him of such a tragic memory. "I-I'm sorry," Bogo said apologetically, "I probably shouldn't have said anything."

"No, it's alright." Nick replied, forcing a sympathetic smile as silence fell on them both.

Bogo cleared his throat, hoping to clear the depressing awkwardness in the air. "Well, in any case... it's good to see you again." Bogo smiled sincerely.

Nick returned an appreciative smile, then returned to his usual cocky bravado. "Come on, don't go getting soft on me buffalo butt. Being friendly doesn't suit you."

"And there he is again," Bogo said annoyed.

Nick chuckled, "It's good to see you too my literal old friend."

Bogo huffed, once again annoyed.

"Hello there Nick!" a striped gray hare called out from behind the two. He wore a black suit and tie. Very formal looking and had piercing icy blue eyes. "Remember me?" he asked with a large welcoming smile.

"Stripes!" Nick called out happily, immediately recognizing his old childhood friend.

"Right-O!" the hare replied with a chuckle.

Bogo peeked behind Nick, also recognizing the striped hare. "Young Jack Savage, is that really you?"

"Ah, I see you're here as well Commissioner Bogo. It's an honor to see you once again sir," replied the hare politely.

"Nice to see you too Savage. At least it's nice to know you grew up to be polite, unlike _some_ mammals," Bogo huffed, glaring at Nick, who simply shrugged nonchalantly.

"Well I suppose I owe that to my mother. She was always quick to remind me of my father's teachings," Jack turned to Nick, "How have you been Nick? I haven't seen you since we were children."

"Eh, I just moved to a different city with my dad, got bored of it so I decided to come back. Start my own life back home," Nick replied casually.

"And how goes it?" Jack inquired curiously.

"Well, I just got back yesterday, but I recently got in touch with Finnick and we're going into business together."

"Business?" Bogo echoed surprised, "You mean you're not going into police work like your father?"

"Nah," Nick brushed off the suggestion with a wave of his paw, "I'm not really cut out for the cop life like him. Not with all the trouble it brought him."

"I'm surprised as well," added Jack, "You always seemed so adamant about growing up to be just like him when we were children. To be a 'Great Chief of Police' as you would put it."

"Yeah, well...things change." Nick brushed it off, attempting to hide the fact that his reluctance stemmed from his mother's incident. " Besides," he grinned coolly, "With my smooth talking skills, I think my skills are best put into business."

Jack noticed the flowers in his paw, "Are you planning to become a florist?"

"Until Spring ends, you betcha!"

Bogo raised a curious brow, "Why only until Spring?"

"Because," Nick replied confidently, "Finnick tells me flower sales tend to go up during this time of year here in Zootopia. So we're gonna strike while the iron is hot."

Jack scratched his chin pensively, "Yes, I see. That's actually rather smart. Do you think I can enter into this business venture with you? Father actually wanted me to take over his farming industry, but I told him I wanted to venture out into the city to try my luck with my own business and this sounds like an excellent starting point."

"Sure," Nick agreed, "We could use someone with some math and flower skills. Although just so you know, we plan on shifting to selling pawpsicles once summer rolls by."

"That's fine. The more experiences the better. Though I must ask who is your supplier for the flowers? Must we look into forming a connection with botanists or farms?"

"No need," Nick answered without a care in the world, "Our supplier is right over there." Nick pointed to a flower patch on the park's grass.

Jack looked on at the patch, confused, "But that's just a barren patch?"

"Exactly!" Nick replied.

"Wilde, for your mother and father's sake, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear you just confess to stealing those flowers straight from the park's flower patches," Bogo stated with his usual gruffness.

"Well if you know a better place to pick wildflowers then by all means let me know," Nick replied with a cheeky grin.

Bogo face-palmed a hoof on his face, "How are you your father's son, I'll never know."

"Hey fellas!" called a gruff, heavy voice from behind them. It was a small fennec fox with a black and red bowler shirt and black shorts. He pulled a red wagon full of flower bouquets.

"Finnick!" Nick called out happily to him, excited to see his best friend after so many years. "You…" Nick paused, taking a good look at him. He snickered lightly, holding back his desire to laugh, "Looks like you haven't changed a bit there buddy!"

"I'll say," Bogo said equally shocked at his short height.

"Ha,ha. Funny. Like I don't know you're talkin' about my height." Finnick gruffed annoyedly.

"Sorry about that buddy," Nick offered him a friendly paw, "Good to see you again old pal."

"Yeah, yeah," Finnick shook his paw. "So we ready to do this Nick? We're burnin' daylight ."

"Sure. By the way, Jack here says he wants to join us."

"You?" Finnick scoffed, "I thought your dad had a business plan for you?"

"He did, but I don't want any part of it," answered the hare, "I'd rather venture into business with you two."

"Alright then," Finnick gave in, "You deal with the money, Nick and me 'ill work the crowd." He handed Jack the black cash box.

"You boys never change," Bogo muttered. The three younger mammals turned to face him, "You've been doing this since you were kits. Don't any of you remember? Nick and Finnick here would come up with troublesome schemes... _normally involving my lawn in some way_...and then poor Jack would somehow end up getting dragged into them."

"Hey it's not our fault Jack is a literal dumb bunny," Nick said casually.

"True, it's not my fault I'm a-hey!" Jack frowned while Nick simply gave him a cheeky grin.

Out of nowhere, a young interspecies couple consisting of a tigress and a panda sauntered in front of the four mammals - waltzing with a weightless grace.

The four stared at them dumbfoundedly, but more so the three younger mammals. "Huh, what's up with them?" Finnick asked confused once the couple passed them by.

"Why are they behaving that way?" Jack added, just as equally confused.

Bogo chuckled, "Don't you know?" Bogo leaned closer, as if to whisper to them, "They're _twitterpated_."

"Twtitterpated?" the three young mammals echoed.

"Yes, nearly everybody gets twitterpated in the Springtime," Bogo continued, shifting his gaze left and right as if fearful of others listening in to their conversation. "For example," Bogo stood, walking in place. "You're walking along, minding your own business. You look neither to the left, nor to the right. Then all of a sudden...you run smack into a pretty face." Bogo jumped, letting out a scream to scare the three.

Jack jumped into Finnick's arms, scared by the buffalo's sudden scream and terrifying tale. "Get off" growled Finnick, dropping Jack on his tail.

Bogo jittered his knees, continuing with his terrifying description of love, "You begin to get weak in the knees. Your heads in a whirl! And then you feel light as a feather," Bogo cups his hoofs and bats his eyes, leaping ever so weightlessly into the air, "And before you know it, you're walking on air. And then you know what? You're knocked for a loop!" Bogo punched himself on the cheek, spinning in place. "And you completely lose your head!"

"Gosh! That's awful!" Jack gasped fearfully.

"Dang," added Finnick.

"Terrible," Nick said.

"And that's not all," Bogo said, stalking slowly towards them, hiding his face behind his hooves, "It can happen to anybody. So you better be careful. It could happen to you!" He pointed at Nick, "And you!" He pointed at Jack, "And…" Bogo stopped, hesitating with Finnick. Would any girl really be interested in a small, child-looking fox like him? _Well, he is an adult regardless of his size and face_...Bogo reasoned.

"Yes, it could even happen to you!" Bogo said, pointing at Finnick. Finnick merely frowned in annoyance, knowing why Bogo would doubt any female could ever fall in love with him.

"Well, it's not going to happen to me," Jack stated after growing terrified of how enslaving love sounds.

"Me neither," Nick stated as well, equally terrified of love's hold.

"Me neither. There's no way I'm lettin' some filly control _my_ life," Finnick stated in agreement.

"There you have it," Nick replied with his cool, confident bravado, "So if you don't mind, we have a business to run." Nick gave a confident wink and a two finger salute to the buffalo, leading his two friends with his head held high. His two business associates followed suit, walking away with their backs straight and chins up.

The three poised mammals walked through the park, keeping their prideful strides in tact and pulling their wagon of bouquets.

Not too far ahead of them, a beautiful Gazelle sat beside a flower bush covered with white flowers. With a flower in her hooves, she picked at the petals in a "he loves me, he loves me not" manner, until she was left with only one petal, causing her to sigh with a smile - surely ending at "he loves me".

The gazelle's ear flickered, hearing the footsteps of approaching mammals. She glanced back to catch sight of Nick, Jack, and Finnick approaching in her direction. The gazelle smiled wide when she saw the three young males, but more so when her eyes landed on Finnick.

She blushed at the sight of him, for as tall as she was, there was always something about short males that immediately called to her. Perhaps it was because they tended to have this weird combination of handsome, yet a plushie adorableness to them - and the fennec in her sights, certainly had both those qualities - along with an air of confidence to him.

Eager to meet him, the gazelle plucked another flower from the flower bush and placed it in her tuft of blonde hair and then hid behind one of the taller flower bushes.

The three males rolled by. First Nick, then Jack, and last but not least Finnick who immediately stopped in his tracks the second his large ears heard a flirtatious giggle emanate from the bush. He turned to face it and spotted what looked like feminine light brown colored eyes peeking at him from between the flowers. Finnick's own light brown eyes widened. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. Was he seeing things? Or did this flower bush have eyes?!

Finnick looked back at the flowers only to spot the source of the eyes peeking her head out from the flowers. He took a few steps back when he came face to face with the mystery gazelle's pretty face. "U-Uh...hey," he stuttered nervously with a brief smile and looked back at his friends who were still marching, unaware that he had broken off from their group. Finnick tried to walk away and regroup back with the guys when the gazelle giggled again.

Her giggle, it was like a pan flute to mice to him. He stopped in his tracks and turned to face her again. Only now she had finally stepped out from behind the flowers and he managed a full view of her. She was tall, much taller than him and she had a very curvy physique. Finnick's jaw dropped at the sight of her and his mouth felt fry. She wore tight blue jeans and a white t-shirt that accentuated her lovely figure.

The gazelle sauntered over to him, moving her hips side to side. "Hi I'm Gazelle. What's your name cutie?"

"Fu-Fennec…"

Gazelle giggled, noticing the tiny fox's nervousness. "That's a strange name."

"I mean, I'm a fennec fox!" Finnick immediately shook his head, only now noticing that he messed up on his own name. "Sorry, let me start over," He took a breath, realizing he's been acting like a moron. Seriously what's wrong with him?! A girl is _flirting_ with him! He's gotta put those smooth moves to work! He stuffed his paws into his pockets and cleared his throat to start over, "Hey, how ya doin' girl? The name's Finnick."

"Charmed to meet you Finnick," Gazelle extended her hoof down to him. The flower perched in her hair falling to the ground as she crouched down, "Oops!"

"Don't worry I got it," Finnick immediately ducked down to grab the flower like a gentlemammal, "There ya g-" The second he lifted his head up to offer the flower back to her, she also happened to look up to him, causing both their lips to meet in a kiss.

The second he felt Gazelle's lips on his mouth, Finnick's golden fur immediately grew redder than a red fox's and his body stiffened as did his upright tail. Finnick fell back like a slab of concrete, landing first on his back, then head, then face and belly first. He peeked up at her. She smiled.

In the distance, Nick and Jack continued onward. "So how much farther till we reach this sweet spot Finn? Finn?" Nick turned back only to realize that Finnick was no longer with them. Jack crashed into the red fox not noticing that he had stopped in his tracks. The hare turned back to look where Nick's attention was and saw that Finnick was casually walking away with a tall pretty gazelle beside him.

Finnick glanced back and realized that his friends were glaring at him from a distance. Not knowing what to say, Finnick simply shrugged and chuckled as if saying 'c'est la vie!' Finnick placed a paw on Gazelle's calf and continued on his way with her.

Jack huffed offended, "Twitterpated."

"I'll say," Nick scoffed, equally upset at their friend. Nick went over to grab their abandoned wagon with the bouquets. "Great, this was all Finn's idea and he's the one to abandon ship. Talk about not letting some 'filly' control his life."

"Fear not, Nick old boy. I still know where most mammals tend to gather during this time of the year. Do you still remember the 'the watering hole' fountain where we used to play during the summer?"

"You mean the one we used to collect wish coins from to buy ourselves some pawpsicles? How could I forget!"

Jack frowned, "You know mother was quite angry with me when she realized I was doing that."

"Eh, so was mine, but you gotta admit it was worth it. Now come on we got flowers to sell," Nick said as he slapped Jack on the back, ushering him forward. The two mammals continued on their way, Nick at the forefront pulling the wagon of bouquets and Jack following close behind him.

Ahead of them in the nearby distance, sat a pale-yellow furred vixen with sapphire colored eyes underneath a tree. She wore beige colored khaki overalls and a striped black and white elbow length top. The vixen sat eating yogurt covered strawberries and reading a romance novel titled, _The Business Mammal and the Inventor_ , a novel about a male business rabbit who gave a young struggling inventor her first big break. She didn't know what she loved better - the scientific innovations the female protagonist would conjure up or the depiction of the gentle, yet strong no nonsense attitude of the male rabbit who served as the head of the company and was the only one kind enough to give the protagonist's inventions a chance.

The vixen sighed, bringing the book to her chest. She had just finished reading the best part where the male rabbit shared a kiss with the leading lady, thanking her for his company's success. Though she was a vixen and therefore the natural enemy of rabbits and other lapins, she couldn't help but feel deeply attracted to the male rabbit and the novel. Plus the writer's descriptions of him - gentle, adorably naive in a certain way, soft, cuddly, yet strong, proper, brave, classy, a bit uptight and conservative but in a good way - it had her curious about perhaps crossing the line and dating outside her species. If only she could find someone like him...with those tall ears…

Just then, the vixen heard the sound of approaching footsteps. She turned to see a somewhat scruffy - yet to be fair - handsome looking male fox and right behind him she saw just what she was looking for! Behind the fox was a _gorgeous_ male hare in a black business suit! The vixen's jaw immediately dropped, "Oh!" she let out a dreamy gasp. She just had to get his attention!

The vixen hid behind the tree trunk and waited for the fox to pass. Once the hare was about to pass her by too, she immediately let out an attention grabbing "Ahem."

It worked! The striped hare immediately froze in his tracks. He turned to see the beautiful vixen curling her long fluffy tail in a coquettish manner. Jack's cheeks burned red and his eyes bulged at the sight of her. The vixen hid her face behind her tail, then moved it to bat her eyes at him.

Jack felt his gaped mouth grow dry. Strange. He had spend most of his life around foxes both in his neighborhood and even at school and he had always been fine around them. So why was it then that this vixen had such a hold on him?

But perhaps it was that. He had spent so much time around them that there were times he felt like he was one of them. Not to mention, there were times when he felt attraction towards some of his vixen classmates in the past. What with their long fluffy tails and their cunning natures and _this_ vixen was no exception. She was the absolute most beautiful creature he had ever seen.

The female fox coquettishly made her way toward him, humming a light little tune, "La, la, la, la-la, la". Once right in front of him, she batted her eyes once more to him, "Hello," she said in a sultry voice, "I'm Skye and you are?"

Jack couldn't say anything. He merely took a deep gulp and felt his bulging eyes pulse as his ears twisted into one another. He was like a deer in headlights. Skye giggled at his shyness, "I don't know if you can tell, but I really like stripes on a mammal. I think they make you look...cute."

That made Jack finally react, "O-Oh? Thank you, although you really shouldn't call a bunny cu-" As he spoke Skye slowly moved her muzzle toward his and placed a soft kiss on his lips, causing the shocked hare to immediately thump his foot to the ground in excitement.

Skye pulled back realizing his foot has yet to stop thumping. She pressed a finger to his nose, causing the hare to stop thumping his foot.

With an love dazed expression on his face, Jack continued with his previous statement, "But you may call me cute if you like," he fell forward on his belly during his elated haze, while Skye cupped her paws together and wagged her tail happily.

In the distance, Nick reached the fountain. He turned back to talk to Jack only to realize the hare was no longer with him. Nick's ears perked in surprise. Where could he have gone? He looked further back and saw Jack curled up on a vixen's tail.

Jack had a goofy smile on his face all the while Skye played with one of his ears. She flicked at it with her paw while once again singing, "La-la, la, la. La, la,laaaaa…" She held onto that last note, flicking his ear even faster. The sensation to his sensitive ears and the excitement of it all caused his foot to thump again.

Nick frowned and shook his head, "Traitor," he grumped under his breath. Great, now he was all alone on his business venture. Though it was Spring, it was still a fairly warm day so Nick decided to pull his wagon to a nearby water fountain to drink some water before setting up camp to sell.

He started to drink when he suddenly heard a feminine voice speak to him, "Hello Nick." Nick spit the water back down in shock. He looked up and saw a drop dead gorgeous gray rabbit with the most beautiful yet somehow familiar amethyst colored eyes he had ever seen. Nick gulped and his jaw slacked as the smooth talking fox felt his brain shut off at the mere sight of the pretty rabbit. The mystery bunny giggled, "Don't you remember me, Slick? I'm Judy."

 _Judy?!_ Nick thought, at last feeling his brain function once more. It was no wonder he recognized her! How could he ever forget her? The two met as children when his mother used to work at the neighborhood bakery shop. He remembered that Mr. and Mrs. Hopps used to come all the way from Bunny Burrow to deliver fruits to the bakery. And every time they came they would always bring their little spitfire five year old daughter Judy along with them. Ugh, how much she would annoy him back then. Especially when she gave him his first kiss - the one he had never asked for! I mean he was only eight at the time. Yuck!

Regardless of that kiss however, he'd always look forward to seeing her every chance he got! He never wanted to admit it, especially not to her, but he actually really liked that kiss.

And now, years later...he was finally meeting her again…

"Carrots…" Nick quietly uttered the nickname he had given her as he took in the sight of her full grown curvy figure that was well complemented by her pink flannel shirt and blue jeans. This wasn't the cute little dumb bunny he remembered. No, _this_ was that same little bunny but now blossomed into a beautiful young lady.

Judy giggled at his stunned behavior and took a few steps forward, causing the nervous fox to take a few steps back. "I'm glad to hear you remember me, slick Nick."

"H-How could I not remember a pretty-I-I mean dumb bunny like yo-ahh!" Nick fell back, tripping on his wagon of bouquets.

Judy gasped as the fox was covered in flowers and petals. Nick looked up at her, severely embarrassed by what just happened. Who was he kidding...anybody could see through his 'sly, uncaring' ruse. He was smitten by the bunny and she was forcing him to display a vulnerable side that no one had ever seen before.

An air of awkwardness lie between them, until Judy snickered a light-hearted giggle. Despite his embarrassment, Nick found himself also snickering a chuckle. In an attempt to play it cool, Nick grabbed one of the bouquets that was still in tact and offered it to the bunny, "For you Carrots."

Judy's eyes widened and she smiled. She took the bouquet in her paws and smelled them. She blushed, "Thank you Nick. They're beautiful."

Nick felt his heart beat wildly in his chest at the mere sight of her gentle smile. He felt himself blush as he chuckled nervously. Then without warning, Judy moved her muzzle close to his cheek. Nick gasped quietly and closed his eyes as he felt the bunny place a soft kiss on his cheek.

Nick's eyes immediately popped open as he felt his head spin in a heavenly daze. The corners of his mouth rose in a goofy grin. The red fox sighed, his eyes practically rolling to the back of his head. Bogo was right. The second he felt that bunny kiss him, he felt light as a feather! And he could swear he was literally in heaven, with nothing but clouds surrounding him as far as the eye could see! And there hopping amongst the clouds and enticing him to follow, was a beautiful bunny shaped angel named Judy Hopps.

"Nick…" He heard her heavenly voice echo. "Remember when we used to play cops and robbers? Think you can catch me now?" She said, batting her purple eyes at him.

Nick smiled and without a word, sat up from the ground and made chase for the giggling bunny. It was a classic scene - a fox chasing a rabbit. Or rather a predator chasing his prey. But in this case it wasn't for food, but to woo over the prey in question to be his mate.

Nick chased after her through the heavenly clouds he had conjured up in his mind. The two of them leaping weightlessly, practically dancing amongst the soft clouds. Judy giggled and gleefully hid behind a bush shaped cloud. Nick chuckled and peeked through the cloud with a playuful grin, "Oh, Carro-"

He was cut off, as his nose butted against another male fox's. His heavenly daze was over and was brought crashing down into the real world.

"Nick? Nick Wilde?!" said the other fox, somehow recognizing Nick. Nick stared at him in shock and confusion. A brown cat popped his head out from the bush behind the intruding male fox. "Why look who it is Giddy! It's good old Nick Wilde!" the taller fox chortled and grabbed Nick in a noogie, "You old rascal! Thought you could get away from us could you?"

"Remind me how I know you?" Nick groaned, struggling to break himself free from the taller red fox.

"Why, don't you remember me?" the fox elbows his associate as Nick breaks free from his grasp, "He doesn't remember us Giddy. It's us! Your old pals Honest John and Gideon."

Nick's eyes widened as he massaged his neck, "Honest John?" Memories immediately flooded the fox's mind. He knew the so called 'honest' fox since they were both kits. The other fox was a couple years older than him and he would see him around the neighborhood a few times. Honest John was a bully to Nick growing up and he would constantly tease the younger fox for wanting to grow up to be a cop like his father - more so because Honest John was constantly getting in trouble with the law and was always quick to remind Nick of their lot in life as no good, sly foxes.

"Ha,ha,ha good to see you remember me old friend!" laughed Honest John with a slap to Nick's back. "So tell me, is your old fox still failing at being a fox? Or did he finally decide to quit the force?"

Before Nick could answer, Judy called to him, "Nick?" Judy resurfaced from a nearby grove of trees. "Nick," she looked beside him and immediately frowned at the sight of Honest John. She too remembered the older fox and of how he would torture poor Nick with his demeaning words.

Honest John's eyes widened and he whistled while his feline associate adjusted his raggedy top hot, wanting to look presentable in the presence of a lady. "Do my eyes deceive me or is that little Judy Hopps all grown up?"

"Hello 'Honest' John," Judy said apathetically with her ears pushed back.

"Well, well! So I see you remember me," Honest John adjusted his cheap suit's collar and shoved Nick back on his tail. Judy's jaw dropped and she glared at him as he swaggered over to her, "I guess I must've made quite the impression on you, didn't I?"

"Oh, like you wouldn't imagine…" Judy practically hissed under her breath.

Honest John scanned his eyes over her and smirked flirtingly, "My, my. You really have grown haven't you? Say," he wrapped an arm over her small shoulders and shoved the bouquet of flowers Nick had previously given to her from her paws, "Given that it is Spring and l'amour is in the air," Honest John made a rose pop up in his gloved paw via a sleight of hand trick. He offered it to Judy, "What do you say we take a little stroll in the park? Hmm? If you'd like I can even get Giddy here to pull us on a nice romantic carriage. Isn't that right Giddy?"

His feline associate nodded in agreement.

Nick glared at the taller fox in jealousy. His fear were put to rest however when Judy said, "Sorry 'Honest' John." She pulled away from his arm and dropped the rose he gave her, instead picking up the bouquet Nick had given her. "But Nick and I already had plans for this evening. Isn't that right Nick?" She looked over her shoulder to him.

Nick smiled. _That sly bunny_ , he thought. She always was quick at thinking on her feet. Nick stood back up with a confident grin. "That's right!"

"Nick?!" Honest John said with a bad taste in his mouth. "You may have grown Judy, but your taste sure hasn't. Honestly, a pretty farm girl like you going for a disgraced cop's con artist son."

Nick gulped. How did _he_ know that he wasn't living an honest life?! Was he spying on him and Finnick when they were picking the wildflowers from the park?

Judy crossed her arms defensively, "For your information, I'm not a farm girl anymore. I've come back to the city to become a cop myself."

"What?" Nick gasped quietly underneath his breath. Honest John meanwhile just laughed.

"What? You're joking right? A bunny cop?!" he guffawed, "I'm sorry to laugh at you my dear, but that it the most ridiculous thing I ever heard! Hahahaha!" Gideon joined him in silent laughter.

Judy scoffed offended, "It's not funny! A bunny _can_ be a cop! Just look at Nick's father, many mammals didn't believe a fox could ever be a cop yet he proved you and everybody else wrong!"

"Right! Next thing you're going to tell me is Nick there also came back to the city to become a cop too! Hahahahaha!" He and Gideon continued to laugh boisterously.

Judy turned to Nick for an answer, here eyes hopeful. Staring deep into her caring amethyst eyes and glancing back at Honest John and his incessant laughing, Nick took a deep determined breath. "So what if I did?" he asked the fox with his chest puffed out.

"Ha!-Huh?" Honest John and Gideon seized their laughter as Judy smiled wide with happy, cupped paws toward Nick.

"I...uh…" Nick glanced at the happy bunny. He smiled, decided. "I did. I'm going to become a cop just like my old fox and before you know it, I'm gonna be Chief of Police. That is, if a certain bunny doesn't beat me to it." He gave Judy a wink, causing her to blush.

" _You?_ Chief of Police? Don't make me laugh. Judy, you can't possibly believe a sly fox like him could ever make an honest living when he's off picking wildflowers from the park's flower patches."

Nick's ears fell back in humiliation while Judy stood defensively for him. "That's not true!"

"Oh no?" Honest John took the bouquet from her paws and unwrapped it, "Then why do your flowers still have roots and bits of dirt on them? Not to mention if you look around the park, you'll find some bald flower patches. Care to add some input on a possible explanation to that Wilde?"

Nick's face flushed in embarrassment as Judy turned to face him with a disappointed look on her face. "I…" Nick was at a loss for words. How could he lose her like this? Over a stupid con that he didn't even manage to execute. Nick glanced up at Honest John who smirked victoriously at him. The older fox's cocky face incited a furious fire in Nick.

No...he won't lose Judy like this. Not because of him! Nick took the disappointed bunny's paw in his and gazed into her eyes with sincere regret. "I'm sorry Judy. Honest John is right. I did take those flowers from the park and I was planning on selling them to others." Judy's gaze dropped in disappointment once more. "But...but then you came along and I managed to give them a better purpose. I promise I won't ever do something like this again. And I promise you that I _will_ become a cop and do what I can to make right by you and this city." Nick gave her a sincere smile and she returned his smile. Her faith in him growing again.

Judy pressed against Nick's chest and stood on the tips of her toes to rub her head affectionately underneath at the crook of his neck. "I forgive you, you dumb fox." She smiled up at him with a boop to his nose. Nick smiled in relief and he reached down to give Judy a soft kiss on her cheek.

Honest John's jaw dropped, "What?! You're going to forgive him just like that?!"

"He at least had the courage and true honesty to tell me the truth and apologize for what he did. When have you ever done anything to live up to your name? _Dishonest_ John."

Nick chuckled, "Good one, Carrots."

Honest John growled in anger.

"Sorry Johnny boy, but the lovely Judy and I have a date to get back to. So see ya around, _old pal._ " Nick gave him a two finger salute.

Honest John huffed and turned around, "Come Giddy. Let's get out of this dump!" The brown feline immediately rushed to the rejected fox's side. Both of them leaving the park in utter humiliation.

Nick offered an arm to his new bunny girlfriend, "Officer Hopps." Judy took his arm.

"Why thank you, Officer Wilde." The two left together, arm in arm as the sun set on the horizon making way for a romantic evening in their wake.


	5. Cinderjudy

Raspberries Challenge #5: Cinderella

 **Cinderjudy**

Trumpets blared at the Zootopian Kingdom's castle, announcing the ball's commencement. On one end of the large salmon colored ballroom, stood various available maidens of varying species. Each one of them eager to meet the young fox prince that stood across from them in the ballroom. The maidens - all of them daughters of royalty, high ranking officials and wealthy noblemammals - lined up and awaited to be announced to greet the prince.

Nicholas Piberius Wilde, the bachelor prince of the Zootopian Kingdom stood - rather bored - in place to greet each of his potential brides with a formal bow. He was clad in red pants, his royal cream colored princely coat and white gloves that completely clashed with his natural black paws. Though his back was killing him, he somehow managed to keep a straight posture. Not so much for the sake of his guests, but more so for his overbearing father who wouldn't stop berating him for not yet having found a wife to "make grandchildren" with for him.

Speaking of which, the prince's father, Jonathan Wilde, King of the Zootopian Kingdom, kept a vigilant eye on his son from atop a balcony just above the ballroom. Beside him, stood the Grand Duke and the young prince's best friend Finnick, a short fennec fox with a monocle. Both foxes kept a keen eye on the prince as the next girl was called.

"Princess Fredericka Jean-Foxtaine," a beautiful red vixen clad in a blue gown made her way down the red carpet leading to the prince across the way. Prince Nicholas bowed to her as expected, but paid her no extra attention or care - another girl crossed off the long list of possible brides for the prince.

The sheep doorman went on to read the next girl, "Mademoiselle Augustine Zubois. Daughter of General Pierre Zubois!" another lovely red vixen in a pink colored dress made her way toward the prince. Once again, the fox prince gave nothing more but a simple bow.

King Jonathan groaned frustratingly as his son yet again rejected another girl. He facepalmed a paw on his snout, "The boy isn't even trying!" he huffed, while Finnick simply shrugged his shoulders with a wry smile as if to say 'I told you so.'

The king began to grow antsy. That was the 70th girl his son's rejected! Surely he can't keep this up! The next girl must be the one! Right? Right?!

"Mademoiselle Theodora Mercedes Delaroar. Daughter of Colonel and Madame Delaroar." Another pretty vixen in a green gown made her way toward Prince Nicholas while King Jonathan's blue eyes lit up with hope. A hope that died just as quickly as Prince Nicholas once again rejected the girl. Although this time with a bored yawn and cheeky smile towards his father at the balcony.

"Ugh! Look at that smug smile of his," the king scoffed. "He's doing it on purpose just to spite me!"

"I warned you beforehand, sire." Finnick said while playing around with his monocle.

"But what is it about them that he doesn't like? They're all gorgeous, they're wealthy. I've taken all necessary precautions. What more does he want?!" growled the king desperately.

"Maybe Prince Nicholas just isn't ready to marry?" Finnick shrugged.

"Nonsense!" the king snapped back, "I was his age when I married his mother and she was the first and only girl I had presented to me! Fell in love with her the second I saw her. And when we touched paws, I knew she was the one for me," King Jonathan gazed at his paw with a gentle smile at the thought of his late wife. A smile which was quickly replaced with a grumpy frown the second he thought back to his son. "I didn't give _my_ father this headache! Why must Nicholas do this to _me_!" The fox sat back massaging his throbbing head between his paws.

Finnick shook his head with a light chuckle as he turned his attention back down.

"Mademoiselle Colette LePew. Daughter of Commander LePew." Finnick's interest peaked as he saw a female skunk make her way toward the prince.

"Huh, so I see you didn't limit his choices to only vixens," Finnick commented in surprise.

"I told you I took all necessary precautions into consideration," King Jonathan uttered with a paw still at his forehead. "And does he thank me for broadening his choices? No!" The king looked down to realize his son had rejected to skunk just as he had the vixens. King Jonathan snarled and slammed his fist down on the armrest of his chair. "Come now! I don't care if I have hybrid grandchildren! There must be at least one of them that would make a suitable mother!"

"Shh! Watch it sire," Finnick gestured toward the crowd. Reminding him to mind his words and personal goal around his guests.

"I mean wife," the king groaned, correcting himself.

.

Cinderjudy, decked out in her new sparkling light blue gown, matching elbow length gloves and headband, a black choker, and glass slippers - given to her by her tiny shrew of a fairy Godmother - timidly entered the enormous castle. She was so in awe, she didn't even notice the curious glances the line of guards were giving her.

Despite having been born into a wealthy family, Cinderjudy had never felt like a child of wealth. After her mother's death and after her father married her stepmother, Lady Bellwether, she always felt more like a servant. Or rather a slave. A feeling that was sealed for good once her father died not too long after his second marriage.

Poor Cinderjudy was so young when her father died. She was left to the mercy of her cruel sheep stepmother and her two daughters, Soleil and Luna. Cinderjudy never understood why they hated her so. She had never wronged them in any way, but they treated her like a slave nonetheless - always ordering her around, belittling her every chance they got, and more recently they tore her mother's good dress right off from her just to prevent her from going to the ball.

But no more! Tonight was _her_ night! Tonight she was _not_ a slave, but a lady! A lady who had just as much of a right to meet the Prince as everyone else!

Now...if she only knew what he looked like... or at the very least knew what his name was…

Cinderjudy made her way up the large stairway leading to the ballroom.

.

Soleil and Luna Bellwether prepped themselves up as they prepared to be called next. Soleil adjusted her glasses and puffed up the light brown wool at the sides of her face, while Luna adjusted the lower half of the skirt of her dress not realizing that she was stepping on her sister's dress.

Soleil took a step forward, nearly landing flat on her face because of her sister's carelessness. She yanked her skirt out from under Luna's feet, practically dropping _her_ now. After landing on her feet Luna awkwardly raced behind Soleil, waving her skirt side to side.

"The mademoiselles Soleil and Luna Bellwether. Daughters of Lady Bellwether."

Prince Nicholas squinted his eyes forward to get a good look at them and groaned quietly to the sky. _Ugh! There's no way I'm picking either of these two._ _Something about them tells me they're not as fluffy on the inside as their wool makes them out to be,_ he thought to himself, already uninterested in the sheep. A feeling that apparently even his father shared.

King Jonathan took one look at them and immediately cringed, shaking his paws and head. In rejection. He groaned fell back on his chair. He sighed in defeat, "That's it. I give up."

Finnick chuckled as he played with his monocle like a yo-yo, "I told ya, sire. But you didn't listen." King Jonathan said nothing. He simply sat on his chair with a heavy frown, listening to the smaller fox mock him. "I'm sorry to say it your grace, but you're too much of a romantic for your own good." Finnick chuckled again, "No doubt you had the whole thing played out in your head like a pretty picture. The Prince bowing down to the assembly…" Finnick bowed, detailing the story with his own motions.

Meanwhile, below the balcony, Prince Nicholas bowed to the two sheep. But as he rose, his actions mimicked those of Finnick's words as if the small fox were controlling him like a puppet master does to his puppets. For as Finnick spoke his next words, Prince Nicholas' eyes widened. His mouth gaped slightly as his emerald gaze caught sight of something in the distance - or rather, caught sight of _someone_.

"When suddenly he stops!" Finnick continued with his narrative, "And lo! There she is! The girl of his dreams!"

As Finnick spoke to the king, Prince Nicholas' eyes were glued on a gorgeous gray bunny moving about in the distance between Soleil and Luna - his eyes were on Cinderjudy!

Unaware of who he was looking at, Soleil and Luna batted their eyes flirtingly at Prince Nicholas believing his sights were on them. "Um…" he stuttered, entranced by the bunny in the distance, "Excuse me," he maneuvered between the two sheep, determined to reach the mystery bunny.

King Jonathan perked up, his gloomy demeanor immediately fading and making way for curiosity as he witnessed his son leave his post. _Where's he going?_ The king wondered as Finnick continued to coincidentally detail the prince's current actions and state of mind.

"Who is she? Where'd she come from? He wonders. But does he care? No. All he knows is that his heart tells him that here...Here is this girl that's meant to be his bride."

Just as Finnick said that, Nicholas at last reached Cinderjudy, gently taking her smaller paw into his larger, startling the lost bunny. "Are you lost pretty Carrots?" he asked with a playful yet warm smile.

"Oh," Cinderjudy's ears stood then dropped in embarrassment as she brought a paw to her mouth, "I guess I am," she giggled bashfully. "I was looking for the ballroom."

"Well look no further, it's right in there." Prince Nicholas bowed to her, offering a paw, "Would you care to dance?"

Cinderjudy's eyes widened. She didn't expect to be made such an offer so soon upon her arrival. She hadn't even met the Prince yet either but... gazing into this fox's eyes made her knees feel weak. How could she deny such an offer? Especially from such a handsome and sweet mammal. Cinderjudy curtsied and him her paw with a blushing smile.

As Prince Nicholas led her into the ballroom, King Jonathan brushed his eyes in disbelief. Was he dreaming? Or has stubborn son finally found his future bride? The elder fox blinked a few times to realize that he wasn't dreaming! The king smiled wide when he realized Finnick was still laughing at him.

"Hahaha. I tell you, your highness. That's all just fairytale garbage. It just doesn't happen in real life. So I hate to say it, but this plan o' yours was doomed ta failure-"

"Failure?!" King Jonathan snapped, startling the fennec fox - first with his anger and then with his sudden burst of jovial laughter, "Then take a look at that you tiny naysayer!" King Jonathan took Finnick's monocle and pressed it against the small fox's eye so he can take a good look at the Prince and the mystery bunny. "Who is she? Do you know her?" The king asked excitedly.

"No sire. I've never seen her before," Finnick replied.

"Well at least that's one thing in her favor," said the king with a happy chuckle. He then called down to the orchestra, "The waltz! Quick the waltz!"

The court composer smiled and nodded, tapping his composition stick and lead the orchestra to play a romantic waltz.

Now to set the mood! King Jonathan whistled down to more of his servants loudly whispering, "The lights! The lights!" In his excitement he crawled on top of the balcony railing, nearly plummeting down to the ballroom floor were it not for Finnick quickly grabbing onto his tail.

Prince Nicholas and Cinderjudy walked onto the dancefloor, paw in paw. The young Royal fox brought her small paw up to his lips to give it a tender kiss. Cinderjudy blushed with a curtsy. Prince Nicholas smiled then placed a gentle paw on her small waist while he took her paw in the other. She likewise took his paw while her free paw held onto the large skirt of her dress as he led her into a waltz.

Up at the balcony, King Jonathan chuckled happily, "Failure eh?" He elbowed Finnick, who returned a disgruntled chuckle to the king. King Jonathan took one last look below to his son and the young bunny maiden. The elder fox smiled, his heart swollen with joy and pride, _Looks like the boy's got good taste! Just like his father!_

The king yawned, tired of a long day's work of searching for a bride for his stubborn son. "Well, I think it's time for a good night's sleep."

Finnick yawned too, "Yeah. I think I'm gonna turn in too-"

"Oh, no, no, no my tiny friend," King Jonathan said with a tut, picking up the small fennec fox from the scruff of his coat. "You are going to sit right here." He plopped Finnick down on the chair. "Be sure they're not disturbed and notify me immediately the minute the boy proposes."

"Notify me immediately," Finnick mimicked mockingly under his breath, believing the king had left the balcony.

"Oh and Finnick," King Jonathan said, startling the small fox, "Be advised, if anything goes wrong," King Jonathan slashed a finger across his throat. Threatening death on the tiny fox. The elder red fox left the balcony and danced down the corridor leading to his bedroom singing to the waltz' rhythm. "La-di-la-di, la-di-la-di!" He dragged one of his many guards from his post to waltz with the confused mammal only to twirl him back to his spot and bow to him. The jovial king continued onward and kicked his heels together. It won't be long now till he becomes a grandfather!

Back at the ballroom, Lady Bellwether and her two daughters tried to look past the larger ball attendants obstructing their view of the prince's new mystery bunny.

"Who is she mother?" asked Luna.

"Do we know her?" added Soleil as she managed to catch a slight glimpse of Prince Nicholas and Cinderjudy between a large elephant's legs.

"The Prince certainly seems to," said Luna, "Although I know I've never seen her."

"Nor I," said Lady Bellwether as she stood behind some shorter mammals, "But she certainly is-" Bellwether seized her compliment regarding the mystery bunny's beauty as Cinderjudy and Prince Nicholas waltzed before her. Lady Bellwether's eyes widened the minute she managed to catch a closer glimpse of the bunny's face. "Wait...there is something familiar about her," Lady Bellwether uttered, adjusting her glasses and curiously following the two as they waltzed out to the outdoor balcony.

Lady Bellwether attempted to follow when large red curtains blocked her path, "Oh," she gasped when she noticed Finnick holding the cord of the curtains.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat as if asking her to respect their privacy.

.

Out at the external balcony, Cinderjudy and Prince Nicholas continued their waltz in peace. Free from the prying eyes of others, it was just them in their own little world that started and ended with them and only them. They gazed deeply into one another's eyes, amethyst pools meeting emerald ones and sparkling just as bright as the glitter of Cinderjudy's gown. They smiled at each other as if that was the only expression their facial muscles were capable of.

It was all so wonderful! They could swear they could hear a mutual song playing in their hearts - each of their internal voices complementing one another. A sweet hum that spoke their very emotions…

 _ **Mmm-mmm**_

 _ **Mmm-mmm**_

 _ **So this is love,**_

 _ **Mmm-mmm**_

 _ **So this is love...**_

 _ **So this is what makes life divine,**_

Cinderjudy's heart sang, overwhelmed with love for the handsome mystery fox - as she was still completely unaware of his true identity. She and Prince Nicholas finished their waltz and walked paw in paw to take a tour of the kingdom's vast garden together.

The garden itself was so beautiful. Cinderjudy could swear she was dreaming, so she prompted to give the water in the garden's fountain a light tap, feeling the gentle ripples of the water forming around her paw. It wasn't a dream! It was real!

 _ **I'm all aglow**_

 _ **Mmm-mmm**_

 _ **And now I know**_

Her heart sang as she gazed at the fox, seeing the same warmth in his eyes. She could swear she could hear him confirm his mutual feelings for her.

 _ **And now I know**_

Cinderjudy sighed as she felt their hearts sync in tune with one another's.

 _ **The key to all heaven is mine**_

 _ **My heart has wings,**_

 _ **Mmm-mmm**_

 _ **And I can fly,**_

 _ **I'll touch ev'ry star in the sky**_

After their romantic stroll through the garden and some light conversation, Prince Nicholas and Cinderjudy resumed their waltz under the stars.

 _ **So this is the miracle,**_

 _ **That I've been dreaming of**_

Prince Nicholas led Cinderjudy to the middle of a beautiful bridge that overlooked a sparkling river. They both gazed down to the gentle ripples of the easy flowing water below them as well as their reflections and that of the bright moon behind them. They lifted their gaze to one another. Cinderjudy's heart hummed...

 _ **Mmm-mmm**_

As did Prince Nicholas'...

 _ **Mmm-mmm**_

As they came to a conclusion, they both new to be true despite their brief introduction...

 _ **So this is love…!**_

Cinderjudy and Prince Nicholas sat at thick stair railing as they talked for a little while - in the nearby distance there was a tall clock tower. It's time read 11:55pm.

"And so my friend Finnick kissed this girl he really liked and then she ended up with a mustache smeared on her face too!" Prince Nicholas chuckled as he regaled Cinderjudy with one of his many hilarious childhood stories.

Cinderjudy laughed, "So then what happened?"

"Well once he noticed the mustache on her, he realized that he had one too the whole time."

Cinderjudy giggled, "And no one bothered to say anything when they saw a nine year old boy trodding around town with a mustache?"

"Nope," the fox Prince answered casually. "Boy but did he and his little girlfriend wanna kill me after that."

They laughed wholeheartedly together. Prince Nicholas wiped a tear from his eye from his laughter. After regaining his composure, he gently took one of Cinderjudy's paws in his, "You know pretty Carrots, in all this time we've been spending together I feel like I can really talk to you," he said with a warm and sincere smile.

"Me too," Cinderjudy agreed, returning her own tender smile to him. "It isn't often I get to talk to someone, much less someone as sweet and funny as you."

Prince Nicholas' eyes widened in shock and surprise, "Why not?"

Uh-oh. She shouldn't have said that. "It's... it's complicated," Cinderjudy uttered quietly, gently pulling her paw from his grip and turning away from him. Hoping he wouldn't pry any longer.

"Hey," he softly placed a paw over hers again, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I just thought you might wanna talk for a change. I've been doing all the talking all night and who knows if I've been boring you with my riveting tales about my bratty childhood." Cinderjudy giggled at his attempt to cheer her up. "Besides, I'd really like to know more about you. I mean I don't even know your name. I've just been calling you pretty Carrots all night."

"That's true," Cinderjudy reasoned. "I'm sorry I've been such a mystery. It's just that…" Cinderjudy sighed, "I don't know... this whole night has been so wonderful and I'd hate to ruin it. I just can't help get over wondering if this is all one big beautiful dream that I'm going to wake up from at any moment."

Prince Nicholas blinked in surprise at her words. All night she had been so chipper, he almost began to think she was incapable of such sadness. He may not know what demons haunt her, but he knows he certainly brought her some joy. Perhaps he shall save his questioning for another day when she's more comfortable talking about it.

He reached out a paw to her cheek with an understanding and comforting smile. He gently pulled her gaze to his. "Trust me my mystery Carrots. I promise you this isn't a dream."

Cinderjudy gazed into his comforting eyes as he softly traced his paws down her shoulders and slowly moved his lips toward hers. She in turn moved her own lips up toward his. Their muzzles inching closer and closer when-

 _DONG!_ The clock tower rang.

"Oh! Oh my goodness!" Cinderjudy gasped in shock, lifting her ears and pulling her lips away before she could kiss Prince Nicholas.

"What's the matter?" Prince Nicholas asked, wondering why she pulled away.

"It's midnight!" she said as she stood.

"Yeah. So?" Prince Nicholas said, stating the obvious and still heavily confused.

"Good bye!" Cinderjudy called as she tried to run from him.

"No, no. Wait!" Prince Nicholas gently caught her arm, "You can't go now, it's only-"

"You don't understand! Please, please I must!" Cinderjudy said, desperate to flee before her spell could be undone.

"But why?" the fox prince asked, not wanting to let the sweet bunny go.

"Well I-I..." Cinderjudy thought fast. She needed an excuse and she needed it now. "The Prince! I haven't met the Prince yet!"

"The Prince?!" the fox's eyes widened in surprise. "Uh...are you being serious? Because didn't you know that I-"

 _DONG!_ The clock tower rang again, louder than before.

"Good-bye!" Without a moment to lose, Cinderjudy ran.

"No wait! Come back! Please come back!" Prince Nicholas called back desperately to her. "I don't even know your name or how will I find you!" Hearing the hurt in his voice, Cinderjudy turned briefly to face him one last time at the top of the garden's stairway, desperately wanting to stop and stay with him but knowing that she can't. She continued to flee as Prince Nicholas continued to call to her, "Wait! Please wait!"

Cinderjudy re-entered the ballroom, emerging from the large red curtains Finnick had closed prior. "Good-bye!" She politely waved to Finnick on her way out.

Finnick politely returned her wave until he realized who it was he was waving to. "Whoa wait a minute!" he called out when the curtains were pushed to his face. Muffling his calls as Prince Nicholas emerged from behind the curtains.

"Wait! Carrots!" Prince Nicholas called with an extended paw, just as he was swarmed with a sea of of his former potential brides. All of them curiously asking him about the mystery bunny he was dancing with.

Cinderjudy made her way down the large flight of stairs near the main entrance when-

Oops! One of Cinderjudy's glass slippers slipped off her foot. Figures, not many mammals wear shoes so it was no surprise she was unaccustomed to wearing them. She tried running up to get it, only to spot Finnick racing down the stairs behind her. Not wanting to get caught and with her time running out, she decided to leave it and proceeded to rush down the stairs once more.

"Mademoiselle! Señorita! Miss Bunny!" Finnick called behind her as he grabbed her fallen glass slipper.

Once out the door, Cinderjudy raced to her carriage and climbed aboard. She and her equally spellbound assistants fled past the castle's gates as fast as they could as Finnick called for the castle's guards to stop her close the gates so she wouldn't flee.

"Stop that coach! Close those gates!" Finnick shouted to no avail. Realizing they had managed to escape past the gates, Finnick instead called their guards to chase after them. "Follow that coach!" Various guards on horse pulled carriages raced out the castle's gates in search of Cinderjudy.

Cinderjudy looked back, hoping they wouldn't catch up to her and her friends. All the while the clock tower continued to remind her of the time with its terrible and constant,

 _DONG! DONG! DONG!_

With one last heavy dong, the spell was broken and Cindejudy's gown vanished and was replaced once more with her mother's torn dress. Her beautiful carriage was reduced to nothing more but the pumpkin it was once originally, her family friend and fellow house servant Major - an old gray horse -was no longer a well dressed footmammal, but was returned to his old farm clothes. The same went for her friends and other fellow house servants Jaq and Gus - two brown mice - who were transformed into horses to help pull the carriage.

Cinderjudy and the others sat on the road in shock to realize that they have all returned back to their old former selves. They immediately moved and sought shelter in some brush on the side of the road when they heard the castle guards catching up to them.

They managed to move just in time when the guards ran past them, crushing the pumpkin underneath their hooves and the wheels of their carriages.

"I'm sorry," Cinderjudy apologized to her friends once the guards were gone. "I-I guess I forgot about everything. Even the time, but...but it was so wonderful."

None of her friends said anything, they just took in her joy and smiled. Happy that they could help her and happy to know that she had a wonderful time. They had known her practically her whole life and they've known how horribly she'd been treated by her step family. She deserved to have a good time and be happy.

"And _he_ was _so handsome!_ And when he danced…" she sighed, the thought of Prince Nicholas filling her heart with love. "Oh I'm sure even the prince himself couldn't have been more...more…" Cinderjudy sighed once more but this time with a bit of disappointment, "Oh well, it's over and-"

"Cinderjudy! Cinderjudy! Look! Look!" called Jaq and Gus while pointing at her foot. "A slipper! A slipper! Yeah a slipper! Your slipper Cinderjudy! Your slipper!" they continued to shout together.

Cinderjudy reached down and realized she was still wearing one of her glass slippers! But how? Everything else was gone. Why did this remain?

Oh well. Perhaps it was a gift from her fairy Godmother Fru-Fru! Cinderjudy sighed in awe as she held the sparkling slipper in her paws. She looked up at the sky with a smile, "Thank you. Thank you so much! For everything." Cinderjudy held the glass slipper tight, a memento of such a glorious night, a reminder of a wonderful fox, and of a night she'll never forget.


	6. Judy in Wonderland

Raspberries Challenge #6: Alice in Wonderland

 **Judy in Wonderland**

Judy Hopps walked down one of the many clumsily drawn pathways, stopping right at the intersection where they divided. "Great," huffed the nineteen year old rabbit as she looked down at the zig-zagged and crazy pathways branching out in multiple directions. The arrow signs around her didn't help much either as they pointed everywhere, even in the absolute most ludicrous places - one of them even pointed to the ground and read "grass" - obviously.

Judy raised a brow and shook off the insanity of this strange place - this...wonderland. "Okay, okay focus Judy. Now which way could he have gone?" the rabbit asked herself, as she searched for the mysterious old white rabbit that had run through there prior to her.

She had never met the rabbit, nor had she ever seen him before. He just suddenly popped up early this afternoon at her family's garden during one of her and her older sister's immensely boring study sessions - it wasn't necessarily boring because she hated history, it was more so because of her sister's slow speaking and unenthusiastic manner of teaching. She might as well been receiving a history lesson from a sloth at the rate her slow talking sister was going.

Judy remembered nearly falling asleep before spotting a sharply dressed white rabbit running across the yard in the distance. She immediately told her sister about it, though her sister didn't see him. Afterwards, all she did was dismiss Judy's curious nature, stating that perhaps it was one of their father's business associates. A fact which Judy found impossible to believe as she was very familiar with all of her family's close friends and business acquaintances - and she had never once seen that rabbit before. Curious, the bunny found her chance to sneak away from her sister's lesson and headed off to investigate. In her chase for the white rabbit, she found it odd that he kept blabbering about being late to somewhere. But where? If he wasn't conducting business with her father or any of her relatives, then what was he doing in their estate in the first place? And just what exactly was he late to?

Allowing her curiosity to get the best of her, Judy followed him all the way to a mysterious rabbit hole that she had never seen before and fell in - landing in the very bizarre world she now finds herself trekking in. Though at this point the young rabbit was condemning herself internally for following that old rabbit. She had originally hoped for some excitement in solving the mystery of the strange white rabbit, but the sheer insanity of this place was really starting to annoy her.

"Now let's see, I came from that way so maybe-hmm? I wonder which way I ought to go…?" Thought the bunny out loud as a very cheery combination of laughter and singing echoed all around her. The bunny looked around curiously in an attempt to spot the source of the eerie singing. "What is that? And where's it-" asked the bunny as she tried to look behind a tree.

"Lose something?" asked a curious and unknown voice.

Judy gasped, turning around to spot a wide floating grin over a tree branch. "Wh-Who? What are you?" she asked in shock.

"Oh, silly me," chuckled the mysterious grin, "Just give me a moment to collect myself." Two eyeballs fell into place as a chubby spotted cheetah, clad in a striped purple suit, suddenly warped above the branch. "Is that better?"

"Clawhauser?" Judy asked with wide surprised eyes, swearing that the mystery cheetah looked just like her friend, Benjamin Clawhauser, who worked as a stable boy back home at her family's estate.

"Actually, my name's the Cheshire Cheetah," answered the mysterious and smiley round cheetah. "I'm afraid you have me confused with someone else, you cute little bunny rabbit you."

"Oh, umm" Judy spoke, sounding a bit taken aback. "If you're not Clawhauser, then you probably don't know this, but a bunny can call another bunny cute. But when other animals do it. It's a little…"

"Really? You find that offensive?" questioned the cheetah. "I always thought calling a bunny cute was the biggest compliment you can give a bunny. At least that's what the March Hare told me."

"The March Hare?" asked the bunny.

"Yes, even the White Rabbit never seems to mind whenever I call him that," the cheetah added.

"The White Rabbit?!" Judy squeaked in excitement.

"Who?" questioned the chubby cheetah.

"The White Rabbit!" Judy repeated happily.

"What rabbit? You?" responded the cheetah, as if completely unaware of the white rabbit's existence.

Judy groaned in annoyance with a paw to her face, "The White Rabbit I've been talking to you about!"

"Oh! Well I'm afraid I don't know any white rabbits," answered the cheetah so matter of factly.

Judy's jaw gaped exasperatedly, "But didn't you just say-"

"However," interrupted the cheetah, "You could ask the Mad Hatter. He knows everyone!"

Judy blinked in surprise at the name. "The _Mad_ Hatter?"

"Oh yes. He's really fond of cute bunnies like you," purred the cheetah, resting his chubby cheeks on his knuckles.

"I don't know," Judy hesitated, "I really don't want to speak with mad mammals."

"Well, you could try asking the March Hare…"

"Okay good," Judy replied in relief, "I think I'll ask him instead."

"Of course…" continued the cheetah, "He's mad too. And he's not very fond of cute bunnies like you."

"But I told you, I don't want to speak with _mad_ mammals."

"Well my dear, I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice. Practically every one is mad around here," chuckled the cheetah. "You may have noticed...I'm not all there myself." The cheetah spun his eyes around his sockets and slowly began to vanish, leaving behind only his spots and his striped purple suit. Though they soon followed suit in vanishing as the Cheshire Cheetah laughed hauntingly and disappeared entirely.

Judy shivered, "When he puts it like that, I guess I should avoid getting on anyone's bad side around here." Judy turned to leave, following the sign leading to the Mad Hatter.

.

Judy reached a white cottage with a hay covered roof. From the chimney hung two metal bars, reminiscent in appearance to rabbit ears. Judy's ears perked as she could hear chipper whistling emanating from the hedge enclosed backyard. "I wonder what all that whistling is about?"

The gray bunny headed to the backyard. There, she spotted the source of the whistling - several dozen animated tea kettles - all of them piping hot and steaming, producing a cloud of evaporated water over a long tea table.

Gathered at a corner of the table, were a red fox with emerald green eyes, clad in a green suit, bowtie, and top hat with a white card on the band of the hat labeled '10/6' and beside him sat a striped gray hare with pale blue eyes, clad in a red suit and orange bowtie. The two mammals danced in their seats with raised tea cups.

Judy watched them curiously as they sang a very cheerful little tune…

 _ **A very merry unbirthday**_

 _ **A very merry unbirthday**_

 _ **A very merry unbirthday to us!**_

Judy quietly approached a large pink chair at one end of the table. She took a seat, trying to get a better view of the mammals from below the smoke line. It was strange, much like before with the cheetah, she was almost certain she recognized the mammals.

She squinted her eyes as they continued to dance in place. "Nick? Jack?" she whispered under her breath.

The hare held on to a note, continuing the song as both he and the fox took turns singing.

 _ **A….**_

 _ **Very merry unbirthday!**_

 _ **To me!**_

The fox jumped in:

 _ **To who?**_

The hare replied:

 _ **To me!**_

The fox:

 _ **Oh, you!**_

The hare:

 _ **A very merry unbirthday to you!**_

Sang the hare, turning the lyrics around. The fox responded with a paw to his chest, acknowledging himself.

 _ **Who me?**_

The hare replied:

 _ **Yes you!**_

The fox responded with a playful and modest wave of his paw

 _ **Oh, me!**_

The two exchanged tea cups as the hare finished the song.

 _ **Let's all congratulate us**_

 _ **With another cup of tea!**_

 _ **A very merry unbirthday…**_

The hare lifted the lid off of one of the tea pots and pulled out a shrew that wore a black suit and was seated in a brown swivel chair that almost seemed stuck to him.

 _ **Tooooo….**_

The fox lifted his large green top hat, displaying a shorter top hat underneath it. The striped hare lifted the smaller hat off the fox's head as he sang the high note. Beneath that hat, was an even smaller hat, that the shrew in the hare's paw lifted with little enthusiasm.

 _ **Yoooooouuuuuuuu…!**_

Judy clapped, having enjoyed the song. The two somewhat familiar mammals immediately turned their attention to her. The hare released the shrew as both he and the fox ran toward her. "No, no! No room! No room!" They shouted to her, waving their paws dismissively.

The bunny watched them wide eyed and confused. She looked around at the empty chairs, "But I thought there was plenty of room?"

The fox had his back turned to Judy, while the hare spoke directly to her, "Ah, yes. But it is very rude to sit down uninvited."

"I'll say it's rude," replied the fox. "It's very, very ru-" the fox halted his tongue as he finally took a good look at the bunny in question. His jaw dropped, mesmerized by her beauty. "Although, seeing how we are in the presence of a lady, I suppose we can make an exception."

"What? Are you mad?" asked the hare, outraged.

"Why yes. I am the Mad Hatter after all," the fox replied with a casual smirk. "Please forgive my friend, my dear Carrots. The March Hare can be a real dumb bunny sometimes."

"The Mar-? So you two are the March Hare and Mad Hatter?!" Judy asked in surprise.

"Indeed we are," replied the fox with the same confident half lidded smirk. "And does the pretty bunny have a name? Or should we just call you Carrots?"

"Oh! Sorry about that," Judy chuckled a bit embarrassed at her lack of manners. "For a second I thought you would both already know who I was."

"Now why would we both know who you are?" asked the hare.

"Well," answered the bunny, "You two look exactly like some mammals I know back home. You look like my neighbor named Jack Savage," she told the hare, "And you look like one of my family's stable boys named Nick Wilde," she told the fox, "Come to think of it, he also has a tendency to call me Carrots...or Fluff."

"Well, I can't blame him for calling you that. You really do look like a Carrots or a Fluff," the fox replied casually just as Judy frowned in annoyance. The Mad Hatter chuckled, "Did he or anyone else ever tell you how cute you look with that huffy face?" The fox grinned playfully at her as she scoffed with her paws balled up into fists.

"You know you should never call a bunny cute, right?" the bunny retorted, offended.

"Au contraire my cute little bunny. I know full well that calling a bunny cute is the greatest compliment you can give a bunny. Isn't that right March Hare?"

"Oh, absolutely. I've known no greater honor than when another mammal calls me cute," replied the hare without a shroud of doubt in his words. "Especially my lovely Eyks," The March Hare pulled out a wallet from his back pocket and stared longingly at a black and white photograph of a vixen. "Whenever she calls me cute, it feels like my heart leaps and I get so, so…" the March Hare began to lightly pant and drool, lusting after the photograph when he noticed the strange looks Judy and the Mad Hatter were giving him. "Ahem…" he cleared his throat awkwardly and reclaimed his posh stance and mannerisms. "But yes, to answer your question we hares and rabbits do consider the term cute a high honor. Most especially when referred to that way by another species." He gave Judy a glance of his wife's picture, letting her see that his wife was not a hare like himself, but a vixen.

"And if there is one bunny truly deserving of that compliment, it's one as beautiful as you my Carrots," the fox bowed politely to her and gently took her paw in his own and placed a soft kiss on it. Judy couldn't help but blush at his 'compliment', for as much as the real Nick Wilde from back home would annoy her to no end, she still couldn't resist his charm. And it seemed this Mad Hatter was no exception.

"O-oh," stammered the bunny, still trying to wrap her mind around what they just said, "Well, in that case...thank you?"

"Although," the hare continued, "Since you don't appear to be from around here, I should warn you that you should never call another bunny - be they hare or rabbit - cute. Among our own kind, it is a terrible insult."

"It is?" Judy asked with a lifted brow, "Why?"

"Please, surely you don't find your own kind attractive or appealing. It's very rare around here to become involved with one's own species. Disgusting!" the hare scoffed as he took another cup of tea to clean the foul taste from his mouth.

"Such a strange place," Judy uttered in awe.

"Don't you marry outside of your species where you come from Carrots?" The Mad Hatter asked curiously yet flirtingly.

"Not usually, no," she replied, "Most mammals look down on interspecies marriage where I come from."

"What kind of a topsy turvy place do you come from, Carrots?" scoffed the hat wearing fox as he dipped a tea saucer in his tea as one would a donut. He took a bite out of it like it was nothing.

"Uh…" the bunny uttered, completely baffled by the act.

"Agreed," said the hare before Judy could say any more, "I wouldn't wish to live in such a backwards world. Honestly, rabbits and hares calling each other 'cute'. What kind of a mad world do you come from?" asked the hare to Judy as he literally sliced a tea cup in half, "I'll take half a cup, if you don't mind." He directed his cup toward the Mad Hatter and the fox poured tea in his half cup.

Judy's eyes widened, unable to believe that the tea was able to remain in the cup without spilling. "Care for a cup of tea my Carrots?" asked the hat wearing fox as he offered Judy a cup of tea.

"Thank you," she took the cup.

"So what brings you to our neck of the woods, my lovely bunny?" asked the fox curiously.

"Were you by chance trying to escape that mad world you come from?" asked the hare.

"No, actually I was following someone," she responded, "But then I heard your singing and I really enjoyed it, so I-"

"You enjoyed _our_ singing?" the hare asked excitedly.

"Yes, of course!" she said with a friendly smile, "I've never heard such a unique birthday song before." Judy raised her tea cup to take a sip when the hare suddenly jerked her cup away from her.

"Birthday?!" spat the hare in outrage, "My dear rabbit, this is not a birthday party!"

"That's right! _This_ is an unbirthday party," corrected the hat wearing fox.

"Unbirthday party?" asked the confused bunny. "What's that?"

"It's quite simple really," replied the hare, "See, thirty days have Sept-no! Um let's see," The hare scratched his head with a one of his tall ears, "An unbirthday if you will is...when you have abitrthda-um…haha," the hare laughed mockingly. "Do you hear that Mad Hatter? She doesn't know what an unbirthday is."

"How cute of you not to know my lovely Carrots. Let me explain…"

The March Hare began leading the various whistling teapots in a melody with a spoon serving as his composition stick.

"Now statistics prove that you have _one_ birthday," said the fox.

"Imagine just one birthday every year!" added the hare.

"Ah, but there are 364 _unbirthdays_!" declared the fox.

"Precisely why we've gathered here to cheer!" the hare said with a hop.

"If that's the case, then today is my unbirthday too!" added the bunny gleefully.

"It is?!" the hare asked happily.

"What a small world this is!" the fox cheered.

"In that case," the hare and fox gathered paws and circled around Judy in celebration. The hare led them in song:

 _ **A very merry unbirthday**_

" _ **To me?"**_ asked the bunny in song.

" _ **To you!"**_ replied the fox in song as he revealed a tall pink cake hidden beneath his hat. Judy's eyes shined in admiration of it. The hare sang again after:

 _ **A very merry unbirthday**_

" _ **For me?"**_ Judy sang, touched.

 _ **For you**_

Replied the hare in song.

The foxy Mad Hatter knelt on one knee and offered the cake to Judy, who took it graciously into her paws. The fox sang to her:

 _ **Now blow the candle out my dear Carrots**_

 _ **And make your wish come true!**_

Nick swiped a finger on the cake to have a taste as Judy happily obeyed blew out the candle. The cake trembled immediately right after and flew to the sky, blowing up like fireworks! The Da Hatter and March Hare culminated the song with one last:

 _ **A very merry unbirthday…**_

 _ **To you!**_

It was a lovely display of bright colors that had Judy opening up her mouth in awe. A few seconds later, the stern looking shrew from before hovered down from the sky with an umbrella over him and his swivel chair still somehow attached beneath him. He sang a soft yet somewhat bored sounding rendition of 'twinkle, twinkle little star' - though with the lyrics noticeably changed.

 _ **Twinkle, twinkle**_

 _ **Little bat**_

 _ **How I wonder what you're at**_

 _ **Up above the world you fly**_

 _ **Like a gateway in the sky**_

The shrew landed softly within one of the tea pots. The Mad Hatter placed the lid over, sealing him in there.

Judy clapped, amazed at the performance as they all took their seats. "That was beautiful."

"And now my darlin'," said the fox, "You said you were following someone?

The hare offered the bunny a new tea cup. She politely took as she answered the fox's question. "Yes, I was looking for a-"

"Clean cup! Clean cup!" yelled the fox, the second he saw that his cup was empty. "Move down!" The fox set Judy's cup down and took her paw, escorting her down the long table and forcing her to leave her teacup behind.

"But-But, I haven't even used my cup," she argued as the hare moved down behind them, tossing about every cup and kettle he came across.

The hare sang as they moved down:

 _ **Clean cup, clean cup,**_

 _ **Move down, move down,**_

 _ **Clean cup, clean cup,**_

 _ **Move down!**_

They finally stopped a few seats down. The Mad Hatter took a large teapot with three spouts and simultaneously poured tea into three cups. "Would you care for more tea, my dear Carrots?" he asked politely.

"Well I haven't had any yet," Judy replied as she struggled to pour tea from a somehow empty yet full teapot. "So I can't actually have more-"

The hare noticed and took the teapot from her paw. "Ah you mean you can't very well take less," he said as he cracked open the teapot like an egg and allowed the tea to pour into her cup.

Judy watched the scene with a hanging jaw. This place just never seemed to seize to amaze her.

"True, you can never take more than nothing," said the hat wearing fox as he poured a mountain of sugar on her tea cup.

Judy took the cup, not noticing until the sugar hit her lips, "But I only meant that-"

"Clean cup! Clean cup! Move down, move down, move down!" the fox shouted again as he threw his full cup away.

"But I haven't-We just moved!" Judy argued in outrage as the fox pulled her from her seat.

"Move down, move down, move down, move down, mooove down!" chanted the hare as he shooed the rabbit forward.

They took new seats as the fox poured tea inside a tower of teacups. Despite him having poured into the top one, he took the bottom one and drank from that one instead, "Now my dear Carrots, you were saying that you were looking for something? Why don't you tell us all about it?"

"Yes, indeed," agreed the hare as he took a sip of tea, "Won't you start from the beginning dear girl?"

"Well, it all started when I was taking my studies with my sister and I spotted a mysterious white rabbit-"

The young hat wearing fox appeared to choke on his tea and spat it all out in shock, "A white rabbit?!" he shrieked with a mortified expression.

"Yes!" Judy smiled, believing she might finally get the answers she's been looking for, "Do you know him? I've been trying to find him for a while now and-"

"Why? Is he your cute bunny boyfriend or something?" the fox asked with jealousy.

"No!" the bunny replied, "I don't even know who he is! I'm just trying to-"

"Honestly girl, have you no shame? Chasing after strangers of the same species," the hare shook his head with a tsk. "Despicable!"

"What? No, I don't think you under-" she tried to explain.

"Ah, but that's the thing. If you don't think then you shouldn't talk," replied the hare. "I don't know why you seem infatuated with her Hatter, she's stark raving mad, this one."

"What?!" Judy replied offended, "Excuse me, but how am I mad when all I've been trying to do is get straight answers and you two actually mad mammals have been doing nothing but wasting my time!"

"The time?!" echoed the hare, "The time! Who has the time?" he called out loud.

Just then, the White Rabbit made his way to the tea party, "No, no, no! No time! No time! No time! Hello! Goodbye! I'm late! I'm late!" called out the nervous old rabbit.

"The White Rabbit!" Judy chirped with a wide grin.

The White Rabbit ran across the tea table, keeping a close eye on his large pocket watch, "Oh I'm so late! I'm so very, very late!"

The Mad Hatter grabbed the White Rabbit's pocket watch and pulled the small rabbit to him. The fox released his watch and grabbed him by his ruff. The taller fox stared at the small light colored rabbit with a jealous glare, "So this is your Prince Charming, Carrots?"

"Prince Charming? Wha? Huh?" asked the poor, confused white rabbit.

"I really don't see what you see in him," continued the fox, "He's kind of old and pudgey if you ask me," he whispered to her.

Judy scoffed in frustration, "I already told you he's nothing to me! I just wanted to know what he's late to!"

"Late?!" the White Rabbit shrieked in the fox's paws, "Oh dear, oh dear!" he looked at his watch, "I'm late, I'm late!"

The now relaxed fox grabbed his watch to look at it, "Well, no wonder you're late. This watch is exactly two days slow."

"Two days slow?!" uttered the White Rabbit in a panic.

"Of course you're late," the fox smirked confidently as he dipped the watch into a large pot of tea. He then slammed it open on the table. "We're gonna have to look into this." The hat wearing fox placed a salt shaker on his eye as if it were a monocular and poured salt all over the watch. "Aha! I see what's wrong with this!" he declared confidently. "This watch is full of wheels! We're gonna have to remove some," he said as he literally plucked off the wheels and sprockets with a fork.

"Oh my poor watch!" exclaimed the White Rabbit as the parts of his watch flew over him, "Oh my wheels! My springs!" he shouted as he attempted to reach all the pieces flying overhead. "But, but, but-" stammered the light rabbit in an attempt to stop the fox.

"Butter!" chirped the fox with a grin, "Of course! Why didn't I think of that! Butter!" he shouted to his hare associate.

"Butter!" repeated the hare into the White Rabbit's ear as he handed a stick of butter to the fox.

"Bu-bu-butter?" squeaked the White Rabbit. The Mad Hatter smeared butter all over the watch as the White Rabbit tried to stop him, "No! No! No! You'll get crumbs in it!"

"What're you talking about? This is the best butter!" the fox replied without a care and slamming the unused butter right smack into the White Rabbit's face - something that made him secretly happy despite Judy clarifying that she wasn't involved with the older rabbit.

"Tea?" offered the March Hare.

"Tea, of course! Good thinking!" the Mad Hatter poured the tea.

"No! Not tea!" yelled the panicking White Rabbit as the March Hare kept him from interfering.

"Sugar?" offered the hare.

"Sugar! Two spoons please." Rather than giving him two spoonfuls of sugar, the hare handed the fox two literal spoons, which the fox graciously accepted. "Thank you!" the fox smashed the spoons in.

"Be careful!" shouted the White Rabbit as he tried to charge the fox in a panic. As he ran, the March Hare snuck a jar of jam in his paws, which the Mad Hatter took from him.

"Jam, thank you."

"No, not jam!" cried the rabbit.

In all this time, Judy just watched them in complete and utter confusion. They couldn't possibly think that they were actually fixing his watch. Could they?

The fox smeared the jam as the hare offered him something new, "Mustard?"

"Musta-Mustard?! Don't be crazy March Hare. Now a pinch of lemon that's different." The Mad Hatter poured the drop of lemon and sealed the watch shut. Removing the excess food from the sides and declaring it fixed. "That should do it! All fixed!"

A second later, the watch started to ring and rattle in a very wild manner! It popped opened and began squirting out all of the food items added to it as well as some loose sprockets. "Uh oh," uttered the fox.

"It's going mad!" shouted the hare in a panic.

"Sweet cheese and crackers!" uttered Judy.

"Oh dear," squeaked the White Rabbit sheepishly.

"Mad watch! Mad watch! Mad watch!" the hare continued to shout in a panic. "There's only one way to stop a mad watch!" declared the March Hare, quickly grabbing his mallet and SMASHING the watch into pieces!

"Uh...hehe," The Mad Hatter chuckled nervously, pushing the broken watch back to its owner. "Two days slow. That's what it is."

The poor White Rabbit cried over the loss of his beloved watch, "Oh my watch! It was my most cherished unbirthday present."

"In that case!" cheered the hare as both he and the Mad Hatter grabbed the White Rabbit by an arm each.

 _ **A very merry unbirthday**_

 _ **Toooooooooo**_

 _ **You!**_

The fox and hare swayed him back and forth until finally tossing him clean out of their garden.

"Oh! Mr. Rabbit!" Judy called chasing after him.

"Hold on Carrots!" the Mad Hatter called to her before she could leave.

"What is it now?" Judy asked a bit exasperated.

The hat wearing fox, gently grabbed her soft cheeks, causing her frown to fade. "Before you go, I just wanted to tell you that if things don't work out with that old White Rabbit…"

Judy sighed frustratedly, "Mr. Hatter, I've already told you-" he silenced her with a soft paw to her lips.

"Not another word. Just know that I'll always be waiting here for you to come back. Know why?"

"Why?" she asked curiously and somehow entranced by him.

He moved his muzzle close to her ear, "Because somehow I know that no matter where you are or where you go. You are mine. You are my Carrots." Judy smiled bashfully with a small shudder of secret ecstasy. It was the same effect that stupid fox back home would give her. Why he had that effect on her, she'll never know. Even more surprising was why did this mad and crazy fox also have that same effect? It was pure madness!

The fox moved away from her with a wink as he returned back to his mad tea party.

Judy left the garden and sighed as she took one last look at the hat wearing fox and hare in the distance, "This may have been the stupidest tea party I've ever been to. But...at least the Mad Hatter was nice and...cute...in his own mad way." Judy smiled and headed back on her venture to find the White Rabbit.


	7. Peter Pan: Lights Out

_**A/N: Okay, just letting you know now, I used Judy to play Tinkerbell rather than Wendy in this. Mainly because Wendy obviously doesn't end up with Peter Pan in the long run. I don't think Tinkerbell does either in the original books, but at least when it comes to Disney's adaptation, she is still with him even years later when they meet Wendy's daughter. I'm not including any of the Tinkerbell fairy canons here either, so pretend that this is a universe without any of the other Tinkerbell fairies (I'm lookin' at you Terence).**_

 _ **Don't worry though, Judy as Tinkerbell is far nicer and far less homicidal than the actual Tinkerbell.**_

 _ **Also pretend crocodiles exist in this universe...or at least in Neverland :)**_

 _ **.**_

Raspberries Challenge #7: Peter Pan

 **Lights Out**

"JUDYBELL!" called a desperate voice. It was the voice of Nick Wilde, the young thirteen year old pirate battling protagonist of many well known children's stories. Though as was clearly evident, he was anything but just a storybook character. He was in fact real.

.

On a daily basis, he battled with the evil sheep pirate, Captain Bellwether. She was a nasty ewe that constantly caused trouble for the young hero and his equally eternally youthful band of friends, the lost boys. As a means of getting Captain Bellwether off their backs, Nick chopped off her left hoof and tossed it to a hungry crocodile''s mouth. This unfortunately backfired as Captain Bellwether became even more determined to catch and kill the young kit. That didn't bother Nick however. He was always two steps ahead of the vengeful sheep.

Though Nick had now been an adolescent kit for hundreds of years and had never had any plans of ever growing up, he did at times have a vague need for certain things that would require some sort of adult influence. For one, he knew he needed a mother figure for himself and his messy lost boys. After all who wants the responsibilities of having to clean up after playtime? That's just crazy!

He found his solution when he had lost his shadow at the home of the Winter family. It was there where he met three fox siblings, thirteen year old Skye Winter and her younger brothers, Cloud Winter (age 8) and Rainn Winter (age 3). Hearing how sophisticated and boringly confusing Skye spoke with all her babbling, plus the fact that her father was forcing her out of the nursery - as according to her father, she was too old to keep believing in fairy tale characters like Nick - he thought, why not invite them to come live at Neverland?!

She'd make a perfect mother for them and she and her brothers would never have to worry about growing up! And thus, the young red fox took her and her brothers with him to Neverland.

He didn't mind her company in the least...except when she talked too much, or tried to be too proper, or whenever she tried to kiss him or talk about romantic things. Blech! But regardless, he didn't mind her company, she was nice enough and the lost boys really took a shine to her as a mother figure.

Though if there was one animal...or rather one shrew sized, thirteen year pixie bunny...who didn't seem to like Skye, it was Judybell. As far back as Nick could remember, Judybell had always been his trusted companion. Everywhere he went, she went. And everywhere she went, he went. They were a perfect team! She didn't talk much (namely because she couldn't actually talk, she just made twinkling noises to express herself), nor did she complain as much either. And when she did, he didn't seem to notice if she had talked for way too long or not. She talked just the right amount where he didn't get bored or think that she was nagging him about something. She was also very sweet and loyal, and always looked out for him. If there was someone he trusted with his life it was her.

Plus she had really pretty amethyst colored eyes...but he wouldn't tell her that. Nick was still too young to be thinking about any of that sappy, lovey-dovey grown-up stuff.

When it came to the lost boys, they also seemed to really like the miniature bunny a lot too! Some of them, primarily the older boys, wouldn't waste a minute trying to point out how pretty she was to Nick or poke fun saying that she was his girlfriend because they were so close. Nick would constantly deny these accusations, which usually caused the tiny bunny to fly off in a huff. Why she always did that, Nick felt he would never know. It was probably just a girl thing.

Whatever the case, she was hardly ever sour. She was always so sweet and inviting towards practically everyone. Though when it came to Skye, Nick just couldn't understand what would come over her? He remembered when he first met Skye and just after she said she would give him a kiss - whatever that was - Judybell just went ballistic! She tugged harshly at Skye's tail as if she was trying to keep her away from him. It was strange.

After that, Judybell would just constantly have her ears down around Nick, as if she was upset about something. Or upset at him, but he hadn't done anything wrong to make her mad. He hadn't even called her a dumb bunny like he normally would, so why was she so upset? All he did was just invite Skye and her brothers so they wouldn't have to grow up either. What's wrong with that?

Why did Skye's presence around him cause Judybell to keep giving both of them the cold shoulder and ignore any orders that revolved around doing something nice for Skye?

It was as if Skye's mere presence brought out the worst in her. Just as Judybell would never ignore his orders, she also had begun lying a lot - something Judybell never used to do. But now, she started making up lies about how the Lost boys needed Nick's help with something that wasn't true - like maybe one of the lost boys had lost their slingshot or scraped a knee. Though every time Nick went to them, he saw that they were fine. After doing this a couple of times, Nick grew fed up with her and banished her from his side for a week!

Something Judybell didn't take lightly. She had tried to reason with Nick via her twinkling voice, but he would have none of it! He didn't trust her anymore! After hearing that, the emotional pixie bunny couldn't help but let the tears fall and flew far, far away. Embarrassed that Nick had to see her act so horribly and heartbroken that Nick no longer trusted her. Hundreds of years of a close companionship, dashed and broken. All because some girl who looked more like Nick came and caught his eye in one night. Something Judybell couldn't do, even after several mortal lifetimes…

She had never felt so low.

That is until...she had accidentally revealed Nick's hiding place to Captain Bellwether. She didn't mean to do it. Captain Bellwether had approached her and comforted her with girl talk. The pirate sheep had even shared her own experiences with heartbreak. And as a result, she temporarily won the trust of the vulnerable bunny pixie. But no more, than when the sheep promised her that she would would get rid of Skye, so that Judybell can have Nick all to herself. Though tempting, Judybell refused. She no longer wanted to show such an ugly side of herself anymore, even if it meant having a broken heart.

Captain Bellwether decided to sweeten the deal and made her a new offer. One in which Skye and her brothers would be gone but unharmed. Captain Bellwether promised that she would take Skye and her brothers as mere passengers and sail them back home, safe and sound.

This offer enticed Judybell more than the previous one, but what was the catch?

"Catch? Haha, there's no catch," the sheep chuckled, "Except...we would need to know where that adventurous little boyfriend of yours lives...After all if we're going to escort dear Skye back home, we do need to know where she chances are she's at Nick Wilde's hideout, wouldn't you agree?" Captain Bellwether picked Judybell up and set her over a map of Neverland, "Oh won't you please help us find where they are?"

Judybell silently huffed and turned her back to her. She wouldn't betray Nick like that!

"You refuse?" asked the sheep. Judybell nodded in response. "Oh, too bad. I feel so sorry for you." Judy turned to her curiously. "Well think about it. With you gone...banished really. He needs someone else to be by his side. Someone bigger, closer to his species, prettier, nicer."

Judybell's face scrunched in pain. Each word describing Skye being better than her was like a dagger to her heart.

"It hurts, I know. I've had my share and you know what I learned who needs him?! Right?! You were there by his side for, forever! And this is the thanks you get?!"

Judybell frowned, shutting her eyes as tears ran down her soft cheeks. Feeling anguish and boiling anger building in her as her tiny fists balled. In her broken, vulnerable mind all she could think was: _How could he?!_

"Jerks like that don't deserve a loyal girl like you. He wasn't loyal to you, so why keep protecting him? He replaced you like day old garbage when this young vixen came along! Just imagine it! Her getting to be held by him! Her getting to hold his paw! Her being around him all the time and helping him with his missions instead of you….Her getting to _kiss_ him…"

At that, Judybell broke. She couldn't take it anymore. Losing her ability to think rationally, Judybell simply jumped to new location on the map and pointed at a specific area.

"So that's where he's been hiding!" Bellwether squealed in delight. "Thank you my dear!"

Judybell's mind returned just then. She looked down, mortified. Realizing that she had indeed revealed Nick's hiding spot. Oh no! What had she done?!

Desperate to make things right, Judybell shook her finger at the sheep. Shouting in twinkles that she mustn't lay a hoof...or a hook on Nick!

"Hurt him? Ha! What do you take me for? I'm an adult, I'm too mature to do something so childish and petty."

For a moment, Judybell sighed in relief.

"But this is Neverland, I don't have to grow up and be mature…" she lifted Judy in a flash, "IF I DON'T WANT TO!" Captain Bellwether then tossed and locked the bunny pixie into a lantern.

.

"JUDYBELL!" she heard his voice call once more. She didn't know if she was still alive or dead after such a massive explosion.

For not too long after she had accidentally betrayed Nick, Captain Bellwether kept her 'promise' of not laying a hoof or a hook on Nick. But...that didn't stop her from leaving him a bomb in the guise of a present from Skye.

In her deep desire to protect Nick, Judybell eventually managed to break free from the lantern and raced home to the adolescent fox, arriving just in time to see him innocently trying to open said gift. She quickly dashed to remove it from his grasp, but ended up taking the hardest hit from the bomb in doing so.

Now, she found herself buried underneath the rubble that was once their hideout.

"Judy?" Nick asked, his voice breaking with worry, "Judybell? Where are you Judy! Judy! Judybell!"

 _twinkle...twinkle…_

Nick's ears perked as he heard her twinkling ringing. It was faint, but she wasn't too far off. He searched around him, until finally spotting a very weak light blinking in and out. Bits of rubble fell over the dying light, burying her even more than she already was.

"Judybell!" Nick quickly began moving away the rubble to get to her. "Judy! Are you all right?"

She felt a little warmth grow in her heart after hearing how worried he sounded for her, but she still knew that she was only second in his heart now. Regardless of it all, her feelings didn't matter right now. What did matter was him getting to Bellwether's ship on time to save Skye and the others.

 _twinkle...twinkle…_

Judybell twinkled again, informing him of the news.

"Skye?" he asked in surprise, "The boys?" More rubble fell as Judybell continued twinkling, telling him to go rescue the others first. But Nick wouldn't hear of it!

He crawled through a small opening, determined to get to the injured bunny pixie. "But I gotta save you first! Hold on Judy! Hold on!" He hovered above her small faded frame when he finally managed to get through the rubble.

 _twinkle...twinkle…_

She continued twinkling weakly yet urgently. Demanding that Nick leave her behind and rescue the others. "No! I'm not gonna leave you behind!" Nick watched her with tears forming at his eyes as he saw that her frail form slowly begin to dim - her bright light fading out almost completely. "Don't go out! Don't you understand Judy? You mean more to me than _anything_ in this whole world!"

More rubble fell as Nick immediately covered her with his body to protect her. With his face only an inch away, he released a shivering breath, wanting to hold back the tears but finding himself unable to. "Please...don't fade out Judy. I need you." He sniffled as one tear fell on her.

Suddenly, in a bright burst of blinding light, Judybell began to glow again. The light forced Nick back as he shut his eyes and took cover with an arm.

After the light died out a few seconds later, Nick opened his eyes again to see that Judybell had not only woken up again, but woke up much larger than what she normally was. Nick's jaw slacked as he saw her sitting before him with her eyes closed and sitting calmly on her knees.

"J-Judybell?" Nick asked in disbelief.

Judybell slowly opened her eyes and smiled upon seeing him, "Nick."

"Judy!" he yelped in shock, "Y-You talked!"

"What are you talking abou-?" Judybell gasped as she stopped herself mid-sentence, realizing that he was right. "I-I'm talking! A-And I'm...big!" she said looking down at her paws and larger body.

"Yeah no kidding! You look..." he paused trying to find the right words as she looked up at him with those feminine eyes that seemed to make his stomach feel funnier than usual. "You look-Wait! Don't tell me you were able to talk and grow bigger this whole time! Because if so, that's not fair. You should've told me about such an amazing trick!"

"But I didn't know! I just...did it," she chuckled, not knowing what else to say. Nick chuckled along with her as he continued to gaze at her curiously. Judybell's ears perked, suddenly remembering about something, "Oh! Skye and the others! They still need your help!"

"Oh right!" he said getting up, "Come on! We gotta go help them!"

Judybell smiled at his lively enthusiasm, but remained in place. Nick stopped when he saw her still sitting and with a melancholy smile on her face. "Judy? Aren't you coming?"

"I'll just stay here, if it's okay with you. They're expecting you. Skye's expecting you, so go rescue her," she smiled weakly.

Nick raised a confused brow and knelt down beside her, "But I can't do this alone. I need you there with me Judy."

"But I'm still technically banished, remember? Besides, why do you need me when you've got Skye by your side?" Judybell rubbed her arm insecurely.

"But I don't have Skye. She's the one that needs rescuing. And I'm calling off the whole banishment thing. Just come on!" he urged on, completely blind to the now normal sized pixie bunny's feelings.

Judybell couldn't help but let a tear fall at his inability to recognize what was wrong with her.

"Judybell?" he asked puzzled. "Why are you crying?"

"It's nothing! Just go," she sobbed.

"But…" he groaned internally, struggling to understand what was wrong with her. "Judy, can you please tell me what's wrong? I don't wanna go knowing that I left you crying like this. Did I do something? I'm sorry that I banished you if that's what this is about!"

More tears fell from Judy's eyes as she continued to sob quietly. The only sound that came from her was just an occasional hitched breath. "It's not that! It's…" another hitched breath, "It's Skye!"

"Skye? What's she have to do with this?" he asked, completely baffled.

"You like her…" Judybell sobbed.

"Well, yeah I like her," Nick replied casually. "She's a great mom for the lost boys and tells great stories. Why wouldn't I like her?"

"No!" Judybell cried, "I mean you like, like her...and you replaced me with her, because you like her better!" Judybell's breath hitched again as her shoulders trembled from her crying.

Nick looked at her with a face that just completely screamed, 'huh?'

The young adolescent fox lowered one of Judybell's paws from her face so that she can see his face, "Judy, I don't like Skye like that."

Judybell wiped at her face, "You don't?"

"No! I'm not even sure what liking someone like that even feels like. You know I don't like any of that gross mushy stuff."

"But you were spending so much time with her and she tried to kiss you."

"Kiss me?" he thought back to when he had first met the young vixen and her brothers. "Oh yeah. I remember she mentioned something like that back when we were at her home. She told me she would show me what one was until you started pulling her by her tail. Haha! That was funny." He thought a little more about it. "I wonder if it's what Tiger Lily gave me?"

"Tiger Lily?!" Judybell's heart sank once more. New tears wanted to form again on her already wet face.

"Whoa! Whoa! Don't cry again Judy, please! I can't stand it!" he begged of her. "Besides, I never said Tiger Lily kissed me. I don't even know what one is! All she did was rub her nose on mine, but I don't know if that _was_ one." Nick rubbed at his temples with frustration, "You girls really confuse me with all your weird stuff!"

"That's _all_ she did?" Judy asked, still jealous but slightly relieved that the young tigress didn't actually kiss him. "Did you like it?"

"Yes? No? I don't know! Agh!" he groaned in frustration, "I don't know what's the right answer that won't make you cry!"

"So...you still don't know what a kiss is?" Judybell asked curiously.

"No! How many times do I have to tell you that I don't-mmn!" He was silenced by Judybell quickly slamming her lips against his in a strong yet chaste kiss. Nick's emerald eyes widened in shock and his heart raced as she kept her lips on his. When she pulled away, Nick kept the same shocked expression for what seemed like an eternity.

"That was a kiss," Judybell said with a shy smile. She lowered her gaze bashfully when she looked back up at Nick to see that he still kept the same shocked expression as before. "Nick?" He looked at her with a blank expression. "Nick are you oka-mmn!"

Without a word, he brought her smaller face to his again.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Judy pressed back against his face returning the kiss.

As for Nick, he didn't know why kissing her made his heart beat fast and his belly tickle, but he had to admit - he liked it. Maybe this is why mortals like growing up? When he released, he watched her with a gentle smile. Judybell didn't say anything but smiled back with a heavy blush.

"I think I like kissing," he said with a playful smirk.

Judybell grinned, immensely happy.

"Okay, enough of this mushy stuff," he said, still smiling. "Now will you come with me and help me face that no good Bellwether and save everybody like we always do?" He stood and offered her a paw, "Together?"

Judybell placed her paw in his and stood with him, ready to go! "Together!"

She kissed his cheek, causing him to blush and freeze once more as she took to the air to find an opening. "Nick come on! We're going to grow old if we sit here any longer!" Judybell glowed and re-shrunk to her miniature size. She twinkled happily and flew out through an opening big enough for Nick to squeeze through.

Nick placed a paw at his cheek where she had kissed him and smiled. He had never thought about growing up before, but if he ever had to...maybe it wouldn't be so bad. So long as he always had Judybell by his side.


	8. Judy and the Hustler

Raspberries Challenge #8: Lady and the Tramp

 **Judy and the Hustler**

It was a beautiful moonlit evening as Judy Hopps, a lovely gray bunny born into the city's upper class, made her way down the street with the local low-life fox by the name of Nick Wilde - otherwise known simply as "The Hustler" by his fellow street dwellers.

It was a situation Judy never believed she'd ever find herself in. Not that she had anything against the poor or the fox himself - at this point, how could she? After all, he had saved her life earlier when she was out running errands on the bad side of town - due to her horrible and cowardly Aunt Sarah forcing her to go there by herself. As she was out, she was cornered by some hoodlums who had stolen her things and who tried to play a "kissing" game with her, telling her that, that was the toll to pay to let her get back to her side of town. Needless to say, Nick came to her rescue and valiantly fought off all three of the wolves that tried to harass her. He was quite a strong and fierce fighter given his shorter stature compared to the wolves. Though of course, it also helped that he was quick to dodge and a tactful fighter - as more often than not he somehow managed to trick the wolves into hitting each other rather than him.

After the fact, Judy had taken him to the local pharmacy to treat his battle wounds. He wasn't too badly injured, he just had a few scrapes that required some light bandaging.

It was strange, here she was walking about town - her in her nice, upper class yellow dress, looking ever so much like the lady she was - and he, dressed in gray slacks and suspenders with a clear red patch at the knee, a white collared shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and a matching gray newsies cap. Anybody who saw them walking together would clearly see the difference in social class between them.

Heck, just the sight of her walking next to him would be enough for anyone in her neighborhood to look down on her. And as for him, most in her upper class circle wouldn't even dare give the fox a passing glance. The lower class meant absolutely nothing to them. That much she knew, more so after taking into consideration the way her close friends and neighbors, Jack Savage (a striped hare with an English accent) and Benjamin Clawhauser (a chubby cheetah, with an insatiable appetite and of a normally trusting nature, but still very cautious around foxes) reacted to Nick when they first met him. They made it very clear that they wanted nothing to do with him.

Judy however, didn't know what to think. At first she felt inclined to believe her friends, but as things were now, she just couldn't look down on the fox. For despite everything she'd ever heard about foxes or the lower class, he was actually...quite the gentlemammal. He was also very easy to talk to and was very sweet and polite to her, despite his incessant need to call her by various nicknames, like "Fluff" or "Carrots". Though truth be told, she didn't mind it in the least.

As they turned another corner, Judy told him about her awful aunt and of how she made her go alone into the bad side of town. "So then she called me a disease ridden wretch just because I lightly coughed near my baby brother and her baby son. And after that she told me to go get her some children's cough medicine to make sure I didn't make the babies sick. She didn't even let me go to our nearby pharmacy. She said as punishment I had to go to this very specific pharmacy that was all the way across town just because it was the only one that sold a particular brand of cough medicine. And to make sure that I got there faster, she told me to take a shortcut through the other side of the tracks. That's when the wolves came and-"

"Say no more, Carrots. I get the whole picture. Aunts, babies, wolves. Your aunt sounds like a real peach, by the way," Nick quipped sarcastically.

Reading his sarcasm, Judy couldn't help but stifle a chuckle "I don't know if that's the right word to describe her."

"Oh?" Nick poked, squatting before Judy to be at eye level with her, "Then what word would you use to describe her? Eh, Carrots?"

Judy grew red in embarrassment, "U-um...well…"

"Did the posh bunny just have a naughty word in mind?" Nick placed a paw at his chest, feigning disappointment in the bunny, "And here I thought you were a sweet and proper lady." He chuckled, walking ahead of her, paws in his pockets.

Judy scoffed, her face red in embarrassment, "That's not true! I didn't have a naughty word in mind!" she cried with her fists balled up at her sides - frustrated over how the fox knew that she _was_ thinking of a bad word to describe her aunt.

"Relax. I'm just messing with you Carrots."

Judy scoffed once more, crossing her arms in a huff and thumping her foot.

Nick smiled and shook his head, realizing how much the subject at hand had affected her. He approached her and placed a gentle paw at her shoulder, "Hey," he then slowly moved it up to underneath her chin, lifting her gaze to him. "In all seriousness, don't let her get to you. Mammals like her aren't worth it to get sour over. Besides, it's not like every family doesn't have a rotten apple like her in it. I know, I had an aunt like her once."

"Really?" Judy asked curiously as they continued their walk, "What happened to her?"

"Who knows," he shrugged, "It's been years since I did the whole family bit."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean fluff, is that I haven't seen or known anything about my family since I was about twelve."

"What?" Judy stopped in her tracks, unable to believe what he just said, "Why?"

"Eh. I just never found the point in having one. My dad ran off when I was about five and then I ran away from home at twelve."

"That's awful!" Judy cried, "Didn't you worry about your mother? I'm sure she must've been worried sick about you."

"She probably was," Nick spoke sincerely, "But believe me Carrots. As much as it doesn't seem like it. My whole running away was actually for _her_ sake."

Judy raised a confused brow, not understanding.

Nick chuckled at how cute she looked whenever she seemed too innocent to understand anything, "Okay, I can see by your 'dumb bunny gaze' that, that doesn't make any sense to you."

Judy frowned, but Nick continued. "What I mean is, when you're a fox and a fox of low status, that is. The world looks down on you the minute you're born. So you normally have to look out for yourself, because there usually aren't enough resources or job opportunities that come our way. At least not enough to feed more than one mouth at a time. I saw how difficult it was for my mom to provide enough food for us both-I mean, she wouldn't say anything, but I could always tell that whatever food she managed to scrape up with her meager paycheck, almost all of it went to me. There were times she wouldn't even eat dinner with me. She'd tell me she already ate, but I knew that wasn't true. So…" Nick shrugged, "I left. I thought, best find my own way and that way she wouldn't have to be sacrificing so much for my sake. I know now, it might not have been the best move, but at the time it seemed like the only one that made any sense to me."

Judy watched him with a heartbroken gaze and placed a comforting paw at his arm, "I'm so sorry Nick. I didn't know."

Nick looked down at the smaller paw at his arm, feeling butterflies in his stomach at her soft touch. He lifted his gaze to her understanding eyes and felt a warm rush at his cheeks and heart. He cleared his throat and casually pulled away from her, "There's no need to feel sorry, fluff. Last I heard, she was doing okay. I even managed to send her some of my earnings last month, but I still haven't gone out to see her myself though."

"You should," she said with the same reassuring tone.

Nick sighed, unsure. "I don't know Carrots. Maybe one day. But for now, I just settle for my homes away from home to get by."

"Homes away from home?" Judy asked with a curious brow.

"Yup. Even someone like me still gets that old family sting. So I cope by having a new family for every day of the week. The thing is...none of them have _me_."

"I'm afraid I don't understand," uttered Judy. Still confused by the logic of Nick's statement.

"It's simple. Let's see," Nick looked around, scanning the neighborhood. "Okay, come on. I'll show you what I mean." Nick lead her to a tiny middle class house, "Take the Shrewtz for example. I make _this_ cozy little place, my Monday home."

"Monday home?" Judy echoed in confusion. She took another look at the tiny house. "But, it's so small. How do you sleep in there?"

"I don't sleep in the houses Carrots," Nick replied with a good hearted chuckle. "I just do them some favors and they pay me back in home cooked meals. See Mr. Shrewtz is in the construction business, and what I do is supply him with lumber at half the price he could get it at the lumber yard."

"Oh, does that mean you're in the lumber business, Nick?" Judy asked innocently.

"Eh," Nick rubbed his neck, feeling a little embarrassed. "Not exactly. Let's just say I... _dabble_. In different kinds of jobs. I do a little bit of this one day, then a little bit of that, and then other days I sell pawpsicle sticks to the Shrewtz. You know, I just do whatever gets food on one of the many tables I dine at. Und Mundays…" Nick said imitating a German accent, "...ist Mama Shrewtz' blueberry pie nacht." He gave Judy a wink, "Mm-mm! I don't care how small they are, her pies are delicious!"

Nick lead Judy to another house. "Now O'Biters here," Nick spoke in a high pitched Irish accent, "Is where this handsome lad ye see before ya Carrots, comes other Tuesday."

"Other Tuesday?" Judy asked, finding the wording rather odd.

"Begora! That's when those bears 'r havin' that darlin' smoked salmon," Nick said, still imitating an Irish accent.

"And what favor do you do for them?" Judy asked him curiously.

"I managed to get Mr. O'Biters' mother a much needed wheelchair when they couldn't afford one. That and he also really likes pawpsicles and I sell him a bunch," Nick replied normally.

"You gave his mother a wheelchair? Nick, that's so sweet of you," Judy said with a smile and a paw cupped to her heart.

"Yeah, well…" Nick blushed at her words, rubbing the back of his neck in a combination of bashfulness caused by her sweet smile and of shame. Shame because he didn't have the heart to tell her that he didn't just 'give' the chair - he sold it to the O'Biters - at half the price they could have gotten it at a medical supply shop, but it was hardly an act of generosity when he still sold it to them at a price. Regardless of how low it was.

Nick cleared his throat, changing the subject. "You see Carrots. When you're foot loose and free, well you take nothing but the best!" The two continued down the street toward the shop district.

Right across the street from them, Nick spotted a very familiar location, "Hey! Mr. Big's! Of course! The very place, for a _very_ special occasion." The two approached the Italian style restaurant with Judy moving toward the restaurant's main entrance and reaching for the door handle. "No, this way Carrots." He held her paw and gently led her toward the alleyway next to the restaurant. "I have my own private entrance." The two walked paw in paw, Nick just a little bit ahead of her. They stopped beside a pile of large crates that were just at the turn leading to the restaurant's back door. "Wait here," whispered Nick to Judy as he released her paw and headed toward the Dutch door that had the bottom half closed, but the top half open.

Judy watched Nick as he stepped up on a small crate just outside the door. He casually rested his elbow atop the bottom half of the door and knocked, "Garçon! Would you mind supplying me with your finest table this evening?"

"Nicky? Is that really you?" replied a tiny voice emanating from a large polar bear's back. The bear was clad in a white chef's outfit. The polar bear turned, revealing the source of the tiny voice - an arctic shrew seated on the palm of his open paw. The shrew himself was seated on a small brown, swivel chair and had thick eyebrows and was dressed in a black suit. "How many times do I have to tell you that garçon is a Furench term. It does not apply to my business."

"Come on Mr. Big, you know I only use that term in the fanciest of places to wine and dine," Nick replied with a cheeky grin. The smooth talking fox glanced up at the gruff polar bear holding the shrew, "Hey Koslov, chipper as ever I see."

"Mm," replied the neutral faced polar bear with a rumbling growl.

"What do you want Nicky?" asked the arctic shrew of the fox, with a slight bit of annoyance in his voice.

Nick placed a paw at his chest and sighed, feigning hurt, "Mr. Big you wound me. Can't an old friend just stop by and eat at his favorite establishment?"

"That would be nice if you finally started paying your meals. Or at least get me a good rug next time for the restaurant. You nearly put me out of business with the last one."

Koslov glanced down at Nick with a low angry growl. Nick cowered a little with a nervous chuckle. "True, but _I_ _am_ the one who saved it when I got you that nice tile flooring and new chairs and tables. Not to mention I paid off the health inspector to give you time to renovate."

"That's the only reason why I still let you come here and eat for free."

"Okay, well how about this. If you do me this favor tonight, I promise you I'll get you a brand new rug - not a skunk one this time. I swear."

"You guarantee it?" Mr. Big asked with a lift of his brow, attempting to read the sincerity of the fox.

"Scouts honor," Nick said with a sincere smile and giving him the oath sign of the Junior Ranger Scouts.

Mr. Big hummed, knowing that whenever the fox gave him his scout's honor, that meant that he was actually being honest. "Very well. I'll do you this favor. But you better get me that rug."

"I'll get it even if I have to pluck it out of my own tail, because _tonight_ is worth _everything_."

"So what do you want, just your private table and the usual?" Mr. Big asked.

"Not exactly," Nick said hopping off the small crate and heading in the direction of the other crates. Mr. Big and Koslov looked at one another, then curiously followed the fox. Reaching the crates, Nick extended a paw toward Judy, she took it and he brought her forth from hiding. "I'd like a table for two tonight."

Mr. Big's eyes came out from hiding underneath his thick eyebrows when he saw the bunny. Koslov too, couldn't believe his eyes. They both knew this wasn't the usual company Nick kept. No, this bunny was different - _very_ different from his usual taste.

"Hi," Judy waved timidly at them.

"Huh," hummed Mr. Big with a smile, "Look Koslov, Nicky's got himself a new girlfriend."

"Hm," Koslov hummed, with a rather gentle smile toward the bunny.

 _New girlfriend?_ The bunny thought, curiously.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss…?" Mr. Big asked, extending his tiny paw toward the rabbit in greeting.

Judy rested her paw over his tiny one, allowing him to kiss it. "Hopps. Judy Hopps. It's a pleasure to meet you both as well," she said with a sweet and polite smile.

Koslov nodded with a heavy, yet friendly hum. Mr. Big chuckled, proud for Nick. This bunny truly was different. And by different, he meant better - _a lot_ _better_ \- she was the kind of girl Nick _needed_. The kind who would bring out the good he knew was buried deep, deep down inside of Nick. "She's a real sweetheart Nicky." The shrew waved his tiny paw, signaling Nick to come closer. The fox came forward so the shrew could speak to him privately. "If you ever take my advice, take it now Nicky and settle down with _this one_."

Nick eyed the shrew annoyed, but secretly felt himself blush at the suggestion. Mr. Big and Koslov headed back inside the restaurant to fetch a few things.

Despite them whispering, Judy's long ears managed to hear everything, including one phrase that filled her with unease, " _This one_?" she asked Nick.

"This one-OH! Oh-Hehe," Nick grew red in embarrassment knowing she overheard them. "That Mr. Big! He's got a real big sense of humor," he told the bunny, then nervously tugged at his shirt collar, clearing his throat. He sighed in relief once he saw Koslov come back out with a couple of chairs and a wide barrel covered with a checkered table cloth - their table for the evening.

The large polar bear set Mr. Big on a high pedestal beside the table - swivel chair and all. The large, silent polar bear then set the table decor, consisting of a basket of breadsticks and an empty bottle of fiasco serving as their candle.

As Koslov set the table, Nick pulled out one of the seats for Judy. "Your chair my lovely Carrots." Judy smiled at his chivalry and sat.

"Why thank you Mr. Wilde." Nick scooted her chair in and then took his own seat.

"Now," Mr. Big said with a snap of his fingers. Koslov, the ever obedient worker quickly produced a menu from behind his back. He set it on the table before the young couple. "What's your pleasure? A'la Carte? One of my Granmama's famous cannolis?"

Nick and Judy skimmed through the single page menu. They both lifted their gaze at each other, coming to a decision. "We'll take a plate of your finest spaghetti, heavy on the tofu balls and carrot slices," Nick answered on their behalf with a wink to Judy.

"Very good. You heard him Koslov, heavy on the carrots and tofu balls," said Mr. Big to his associate. Koslov nodded and went back to fetch the plate of spaghetti, two forks, and an accordion. "Good idea Koslov," said Mr. Big when he noticed the accordion.

Koslov served the young couple their plate of spaghetti. Nick and Judy eagerly took their forks and each took a turn tasting the spaghetti. The young couple noticed that they each had a string of spaghetti hanging from their mouths. They lightly chuckled and each took a turn slurping up their food - first Nick, then Judy.

Mr. Big chuckled happily for them, "Now," said Mr. Big, wanting to seal the deal between the two. "Enjoy your meal, while Koslov and I serenade you with a little music." Koslov pulled out a small shrew sized mandolin from his pocket and handed it to Mr. Big. "Koslov?"

The stone faced Koslov pulled out a harmonica and blew on it, letting out a single shrill note. He then shut his eyes and cleared his throat. Upon reopening his eyes, he had a much more tender expression on his face. It was then that the normally silent polar bear began to sing in a deep yet tenderly romantic voice as he rang his accordion:

 _ **Oh, this is the night**_

 _ **It's a beautiful night,**_

 _ **And we call it bella notte,**_

The young lovers ate and happily watched them play. Judy sighed quietly, her ears relaxed behind her head and her heart became overwhelmed by all the romantic atmosphere as Koslov sang and played the accordion and Mr. Big played the mandolin just for her and Nick.

Nick meanwhile looked to Judy and smiled, happy to see that she was enjoying her evening just as much as he was.

 _ **Look at the skies,**_

 _ **They have stars in their eyes**_

 _ **On this lovely bella notte**_

As Koslov and Mr. Big continued to serenade them, Nick and Judy both dug their forks into the spaghetti and brought forth the food to their respective mouths - unaware that they both happened to have picked up the same string of spaghetti. They each chewed on the string of spaghetti, both distracted by their musicians for the evening - Judy on Koslov and his accordion, and Nick on Mr. Big and his mandolin. Still distracted, Nick and Judy inched closer and closer to one another's mouths and before they knew it…

 _ **Side by side**_

 _ **With your loved one,**_

Judy's ears perked in surprise, as did Nick's, when they each felt the warmth of one another's lips on each other. Judy blushed and immediately pulled away with a bashful smile, her ears dropping in shy embarrassment. Nick meanwhile, smiled happily, his blush hiding perfectly underneath his red fur.

 _ **You'll find**_

 _ **Enchantment here**_

 _ **The night will weave**_

 _ **Its magic spell**_

Nick ever the gentlemammal, took his fork and picked up the last carrot slice from the spaghetti and handed it over to the blushing bunny.

Touched, Judy placed a paw over his, paying no mind to the carrot on the fork in their paws, but only to the tender eyes of the sweet fox before her. She batted her eyes to him, causing Nick's heart to skip a beat.

 _ **When the one**_

 _ **You love is near,**_

 _ **For this is the night,**_

 _ **And the heavens are right**_

Judy gazed up at the sky, her ears relaxed behind her head, and her amethyst eyes sparkling brighter than the twinkling stars above them in the night sky.

 _ **On this lovely bella notte…**_

After a romantic candlelit dinner with serenading music, courtesy of Mr. Big and Koslov, Nick and Judy continued on their date. The song that Koslov had sung for them, still resonating in their minds.

They strolled around the neighborhood together, just walking and talking together. And above all, simply enjoying each other's company.

 _ **This is the night**_

 _ **It's a beautiful night,**_

 _ **And we call it bella notte**_

 _ **Look at the skies,**_

The two took a stop from their stroll when they came across some wet cement on the ground. Nick drew a large heart on the cement with an arrow crossing through it. Following suit, Judy crouched beside him and wrote her initials, 'J.H.' right next to a plus sign and his initials 'N.W.'

As if the initials weren't enough, Judy also placed a paw in the cement right beneath her initials. Nick grinned happily and took her example. He placed his own paw underneath his initials as well. Seeing both their differing paw structures side by side, filled them both with an unexpected sense of pride.

Nick smiled at Judy and she just lowered her gaze bashfully. Nick held his paw out to her and she took it.

 _ **They have stars in their eyes**_

 _ **On this lovely bella notte**_

The two strolled through the park, paw in paw as they passed another couple sitting on a bench. It seemed romance was everywhere this evening.

 _ **Side by side**_

 _ **With your loved one,**_

 _ **You'll find**_

 _ **Enchantment here**_

The fox and bunny walked to a bridge, stopping right in the middle of it. With their paws still intertwined, they gazed at their reflection in the water as it shone beneath the moonlight. Two butterflies flew near the water, intertwining with one another.

Nick and Judy stared deeply into each other's eyes as the butterflies settled in the water for a second, causing gentle ripples to form over the reflection of the young lovers.

 _ **The night will weave**_

 _ **Its magic spell**_

 _ **When the one**_

 _ **You love is near,**_

Nick and Judy rested against a tree at a hilltop with a perfect view of the city. It was a popular gathering place for couples, as was evident by all the other couples that were also parked there in the neighboring hills. Judy rested her head against Nick's shoulder, taking in the view and sighed contently.

Nick hummed happily towards her, "Have you enjoyed your evening, Carrots?"

"Mhm," Judy hummed in response, "This has been the most wonderful night of my life." She turned to him and gave him a tender kiss on the cheek, "Thank you Nick."

Nick felt the skin beneath his fur burn red in bashfulness. Despite his fluttering heart, he felt emboldened by her act of affection. Nick placed a gentle paw beneath Judy's chin and lifted her attention to him. He shook his head, "No, thank _you._ " He rested his lips against hers once more in a soft, loving kiss.

When their lips parted, they smiled at each other with evident blushes and affection upon their faces. Judy sighed and rested her head against his shoulder once again, placing a paw at his chest and seeking comfort in his arms. Nick in turn, wrapped both his tail and an arm around her and held her close. It was a strange yet wonderful feeling he felt in his heart. Whenever he would date a girl before, more often than not he was sick of them right after dinner or at the latest by the next morning. From there, he wouldn't really care much if he'd ever see any of them ever again after their date.

But with Judy...things were different. He felt that he wanted her there, that he still wanted to see her there in his arms the following morning and to wake up to her sweet smile. He wanted to hold her for as long as he lived and never let her go.

Nick rested his head over hers, wholly relaxed and happy as they sat there underneath the moonlight.

 _ **For this is the night,**_

 _ **And the heavens are right**_

 _ **On this lovely bella notte…**_


	9. Sleeping Bunny

_**A/N: Though I know that there aren't any birds in Zootopia and even I myself have avoided putting them into any of my fanfictions, this fic will have birds in it. So just pretend for the sake of this fic that birds exist in the Zootopia universe but are not evolved like mammals. They're still normal animals as they are in the real world :)**_

 _ **.**_

Raspberries Challenge #9: Sleeping Beauty

 **Sleeping Bunny**

In the wake of her sixteenth birthday, a lovely gray bunny with amethyst eyes strolled through the forest in search of berries. Briar Rose, the bunny in question sang a simple yet graceful melody with her angelic voice.

 _ **Aaaaaaa**_

 _ **Ha...ha...**_

 _ **Aaaaa...**_

Through her heavenly voice, she gained the attention of various little songbirds. Soon enough, a bluebird chirped the same melody as she did.

 _ **Cheeeep**_

 _ **Cheep...cheep…**_

 _ **Cheeeep...**_

The little bluebird glided down to her, settling on a branch just as Briar Rose repeated the melody.

 _ **Aaaaaaa**_

 _ **Ha...ha...**_

 _ **Aaaaa...**_

The blue bird attempted to cheerfully repeat the tune when a red cardinal joined it on the same branch and eagerly bounced as he chirped, causing the poor bluebird to fall off.

Luckily for the bluebird, Briar Rose placed her paw below the branch, catching the little bluebird before he could hit the ground. The grateful little bluebird gave her a bashful 'thank you' kiss on her cheek.

The happy bunny sang the melody once more as she helped the bluebird into the air.

 _ **Aaaaaaa**_

 _ **Ha...ha...**_

 _ **Aaaaa…**_

The merry bluebird and cardinal flew over to a tree to awaken some of their other feathered friends - two yellow birds - to join them in welcoming their bunny friend.

The two yellow birds happily flew over to help fetch their sleeping owl friend. Indeed the poor owl was still snoring within a thick tree trunk himself just as the two yellow birds pushed him out of his home, onto the tree branch, and down below. He spread his wings open just in time to allow himself to gently float down into Briar Rose's empty berry basket. Upon seeing the bunny, the owl didn't seem to mind being shoved out of his home and into the light of day. For he as with the rest of the birds, knew the bunny. She was their friend and a regular to the forest whenever her adoptive uncles and aunt would ask her to go out and collect berries.

Yes, Briar Rose lived a very humble and simple life. Though in truth her life was anything but.

For unknown to her, the bunny's name was not Briar Rose, but Judith Hopps. _Princess_ Judith Hopps, daughter of the royal king and queen of the Zootopian Kingdom, King Stuart Hopps and Queen Bonnie Hopps.

Her peasant uncles and aunt were not who they seemed to be either. In reality they were not normal everyday mammals, they were in fact, fairies. Fairies who took it upon themselves to care for the young bunny since her infancy in order to protect her from an evil curse placed upon her by the cruel sorceress, Bellwether. A sheep with a heart as black as the long robe she wore.

Angered by the mere and petty fact that she was not invited to the presentation of the new princess, the vengeful sheep cursed the child - and declared that upon her sixteenth birthday, the young bunny would prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die!

Though Judith's fairies could do nothing to reverse the spell, they were at the least able to undo the result of the curse if it were to ever come to fruition. So that rather than dying, Judith would merely fall into a deep sleep until awakened by true love's kiss.

Fearful of taking any chances however, Judith's father, King Stuart ordered that all spinning wheels be burned as a precaution to protect his daughter.

As an extra means of precaution, Finnick, the leader of the three good fairies suggested to the king that they be allowed to take Judith to live with them in the countryside and raise her as an ordinary peasant girl. This way, Bellwether would not be able to keep tabs on Judith and force her to prick herself on a spinning wheel when she would come of age for the curse to take effect. The fairies themselves would also be left without magic for these long sixteen years in order to keep Bellwether from sensing their magic and locating Judith.

Though difficult at first, considering that they were unaccustomed to living without magic (particularly Clawhauser), the fairies eventually made do and successfully managed to raise Judith into a fine young doe. Now, on the day of her sixteenth birthday, it was a time to celebrate! For today was not only the young princess' birthday, but it was also at last the day that she would finally be returned to her parents.

Though Judith knew nothing about her true parentage, she still knew that today was a special day. Not only because it was her birthday and her uncles and aunt had obviously sent her out looking for berries as a means to get her out of the cottage so that they can plan something nice for her, but because she had a very special dream that she just had to share with her little woodland friends.

Judith continued to hum her happy tune as more little birds followed her on her berry picking venture. She crossed a log leading to the other half of the forest, just as a roofless royal carriage wheeled by in the distance.

The carriage was pulled by a middle aged grayish-white horse with a black mane named Samson. Within the royal carriage rode a young red fox by the name of Nicholas Wilde. _Prince_ Nicholas Wilde to be exact. The son of King Stuart's best friend, King Jonathan Wilde and Judith's betrothed. Though this was a fact that Judith was ignorant to.

The laid back prince rode very casually - he had his arms rested behind his head, his back slouched against his seat, his feet up on the opposite seat, and his red cap flopped over his eyes.

"I do say sire," declared the horse, "We're making rather good time aren't we? At this rate we'll make it to the Hopps castle long before sunset."

"Mhm," the fox responded with a lazy and far too relaxed hum.

"Are you excited to meet your future bride, sire?" asked the horse.

"Huh?" Prince Nicholas lifted his cap to view the horse.

"I asked if you're excited to meet your bride today? She's expected to come home today, you know."

"Well, sure I guess," the fox replied somewhat uncertain, "I just hope I like her. I mean I haven't seen her in sixteen years. Last time I saw her she was still a baby and getting cursed by some sheep witch."

"Yes, I remember that day," replied the horse, "You were still very young yourself. I'm surprised you remember everything so well."

"I wonder what happened to her in all this time?" the prince asked himself.

Just then, Prince Nicholas' ears stood on end, catching sound of what appeared to be angelic singing in the distance. "What's that?" Nicholas asked as he looked toward the distance behind them.

"What's what?" asked the horse.

"That! Listen!" Prince Nicholas perked an ear to listen carefully.

 _ **Aaaaaaa**_

 _ **Ha...ha...**_

 _ **Aaaaa…**_

"Beautiful…" Prince Nicholas breathed, enchanted by the unknown voice.

Samson merely rolled his eyes, "Come now sire, we've no time to be chasing after phantom voices."

"Aw come on Samson, you can't tell me you're not a little bit curious to know what that voice is," said the fox prince, attempting to have his driver take him to the source of the mysterious voice.

"I don't much trust the unknown sire. What if it's a siren?"

"No siren can have a voice that angelic. Besides, that's just a myth. Come on, let's go see," Nicholas insisted.

"I don't believe we should sire, we're expected," argued the horse as he continued forward.

"Not even for a keg of oats?" answered the fox with a sly grin, knowing the horse's weakness for food. As expected, the horse froze in place and looked at the prince. "Followed by a month's supply of carrots? I know your wife loves baking you carrot cakes and we _are_ going to a bunny kingdom after all. I'll bet they're just swimming in carrots and don't even know what to do with them or who to give them to."

The gluttonous Samson licked his lips, "Hold on tight sire! It may be a bumpy ride!" declared the horse as he turned the carriage around.

"Atta boy Samson!" cheered the fox, eager to find the source of the beautifully haunting voice.

Samson ran at full speed through the forest, dragging the carriage every which way in an attempt to pinpoint the voice. For a moment, he lost wind of it and stopped at an opening between a thicket of trees. Nick perked his ear to listen…

 _ **Aaaaa…**_

 _ **Ha...ha...**_

 _ **Aaaaa…**_

"Over there!" Prince Nicholas pointed ahead. Samson followed the fox's direction and headed there at full speed, failing to see the large tree root sticking up from the ground. The carriage wheels crashed into it, causing the carriage to fling the royal fox right out of his seat!

"WHOA!"

 _SPLASH!_

Samson stopped in his tracks upon hearing the splash. Whoops…

The horse turned to see the young fox prince soaked to the bone and sitting in the middle of a small lake. The horse cautiously approached him and lifted his red cap. "Going for a quick swim, sire?"

The grumpy fox splashed some water in his face, "No carrots."

.

Back in the woods, Judith picked some berries as she sang a new little song:

 _ **I wonder**_

 _ **I wonder**_

 _ **I wonder why each little bird…**_

 _ **Has a someone**_

Two of Judith's little feathered friends cuddled together. The bunny smiled, happy for them.

 _ **To sing to**_

 _ **Sweet things to**_

Judith's owl friend settled on a branch with a small flower in his mouth - a gift for his bunny friend. Judith gave him a bow, graciously accepting his gift.

 _ **A gay little love melody**_

The owl smiled happily as he and Judith's other feathered friends followed her as she slowly approached the cliff edge overseeing the Hopps castle in the distance.

 _ **I wonder**_

 _ **I wonder...**_

 _ **If my heart keeps singing**_

 _ **Will my song go winging**_

 _ **To someone…**_

 _ **Who'll find me**_

Upon reaching the cliff edge, the bunny settled her basket and arms on a low hanging branch as she gazed longingly toward the castle. She didn't know why, but as long as she could remember she had always felt some strange connection toward that castle. If not for anything else, but because she just wished to interact with more animals. Her entire life she's been isolated in her family's cottage. It's not that she didn't love or enjoy her uncles' and aunt's company, but she did at times wish that she could interact and make friends with other mammals, preferably those more near her age.

And perhaps even, one day finding that special mammal just for her...

 _ **And bring back a love song**_

 _ **To me...**_

Alas, Judith knew all that was just a dream.

She sighed miserably as she walked back into the forest with her head low in disappointment. "Why do they still treat me like a child?"

Her concerned owl friend flew over to her, "Who?" he curiously hooted to her face.

"Uncle Finnick and Aunt Fru-Fru and Uncle Clawhauser," Judith said with a somewhat resigned shrug. The bunny sat by the lake's bank, casually dipping her toes in the water. "They never want to meet anyone. They say it's too dangerous for me to be outside, because you can't be too careful with strangers."

Her bird friends chirped sadly for her. Judith giggled kindheartedly and touched by their concern, "It's okay, I understand why they do it. They aren't wrong, but sometimes I think they over do it. They just seem so terrified of _every_ mammal I might come into contact with as if they were to be literal monsters in disguise. I don't know why."

Judith's bluebird friend chirped with a shrug as if saying: 'beats me?'

"But you know what?" Judith began as her melancholy expression faded and a secret smile formed. "I've fooled them," she whispered with a proud grin, "I _have_ met someone!"

Her bird friends chirped with delight at the news.

"Who?" hooted her owl friend. Judith happily got up from her seat at the bank, creating suspense for her friends' curiosity. "Who? Who?" hooted the owl again, dying for details.

Finally giving in, Judith responded, "Oh no big deal. Just a prince," she grinned cheekily. How exciting! Her bird friends chirped ecstatically, wanting more details about Judith's new royal friend.

Judith giggled happily, "Details? Okay let's see. He's tall and handsome. And believe it or not…" Judith looked around as if wanting to make sure no one else was listening in on their conversation. "He was a fox!" The birds chirped in surprise, but excited for Judith. "Although he wasn't a fennec fox like Finnick, he was a red fox. And he was so romantic," Judith sighed dreamily as she picked another berry from a nearby branch.

The birds chirped eagerly, wanting to know about her and the fox.

"Well, we walked together and talked together...and just before we say goodbye, he takes me in his arms…" Judith said hugging herself, "And then…"

 _Chirp, chirp, chirp!_

The birds chirped eagerly! Desperately hoping that what came next was a kiss!

"I woke up," Judith said, horribly disappointing both herself and bird friends who became as deflated as she did to hear it was all a dream. Judith sighed, taking a seat on an elevated tree root, "I guess my dreams are the only place I can ever meet someone." Judith gazed at her birds, noting how sad they were for her. Feeling bad for upsetting the mood, the ever hopeful Judith took one on her finger, "But don't worry, they say if you dream something more than once it's sure to come true! And I've seen him so many times." Judith blushed at the thought of her dream prince.

Though she was hopeful, one of her little feathered friends atop the branches didn't feel like her having to settle was good enough. The sad little brown bird looked to the distance and saw something that immediately caught his eye - it was Prince Nicholas' red cloak and cap! An idea formed within the little bird's mind and he picked out a berry to toss it at the owl.

 _clunk, clunk, clunk_

The berry hit and bounced off the owl's head, then onto the bluebird's head, and then onto the cardinal's head. The looked up to the brown bird and saw that he was bouncing excitedly. They flew up to him and he pointed out the cloak and cap to them. The owl's eyes shined with an idea! He gathered his fellow woodland friends closer and hooted orders to them. They seemed to agree to whatever it was he told them and they all flew into action.

The six birds gathered the cloak and cap just when they heard a male voice speak. "You know what Samson?" Prince Nicholas asked his driver as he wrung his fluffy red tail dry. The horse meanwhile just snacked on some alfalfa he had brought for the trip. "There was something strange about that voice. Too beautiful to be real. Maybe you were right and it was some mythical creature like a wood sprite or something."

"I did try to warn you, sire," answered the horse.

"Yeah," the prince scoffed, "And all I succeeded in was falling into the lake. Courtesy of you Samson. Glad I can count on you to warn me about that elevated tree root," the fox said sarcastically.

"I already said I was sorry, your grace. You've already taken away my carrots as punishment."

Prince Nicholas sighed, "Yeah, I know. I guess I was just too excited to know what that voice was-"

"Your grace!" Samson shouted as he lifted his gaze and saw the birds flying away with Prince Nicholas' belongings.

Surprised by the horse's shouting, Nicholas turned around just in time to see his clothes taking flight. "What the-?! H-Hey! Stop!" Prince Nicholas and Samson bolted after them in an attempt to catch up with the fox's runaway clothes.

After losing the fox and horse, the owl and birds settled on a branch to put their plan into action. Though they were not mammals themselves, they would give Judith her prince charming so she wouldn't have to just dream of him.

The brown bird settled himself on top of the owl's head with the red cap over him, while the bluebird and cardinal tied the cloak around the owl. The bluebird and cardinal each took a side of the cloak to give the impression of arms.

It was perfect! They looked just like a prince! The birds nodded to one another, satisfied and elegantly made their way toward Judith.

Judith, who had remained on her seat at the elevated root, caressed a paw over one of her bird friends when she noticed them. She gasped in exhilarated shock, "Why, it's my dream prince!" She giggled happily and felt absolutely touched that her feathery friends would go to so much trouble just for her. "Your highness!" she curtsied to her 'prince' and he bowed to her - the cardinal flying and arm forward in a low bow, just as the brown bird elevated the hat in a formal manner.

Judith swayed her skirt playfully while humming a melody. She approached her 'prince' and pressed her back against him, just as the bluebird and cardinal wrapped 'his' 'arms' around her. "You know I'm really not supposed to talk to strangers, but we've met before."

Feeling all too gleeful at the notion of dancing with her dream prince, Judith couldn't help but to break into song and dance with 'him'.

 _ **I know you**_

 _ **I walked with you**_

 _ **Once upon a dream**_

Judith twirled toward her 'prince' and took his arms to lead him into a waltz.

 _ **I know you**_

 _ **The gleam in your eyes**_

 _ **Is so familiar a gleam**_

Judith playfully bumped noses with the owl's beak. The owl smiled, but he and the other birds lost their grip and fell.

Just as the birds struggled to get back up to rejoin the waltzing bunny, two familiar faces peeked their heads in from behind a tree. They found Prince Nicholas' clothes, but that proved to be the last thing they focused on at the moment. More so for Nicholas. His jaw instantly dropped the moment he saw the gray furred bunny. He could swear his emerald eyes were witnessing a living, breathing angel right before them. _She's so beautiful..._ the fox thought upon laying eyes on her - fully unaware that the peasant bunny in question was in fact his promised bride.

"I believe we found your clothes sire," whispered the horse to the prince.

"Yeah…" he breathed, completely smitten with the bunny.

"Should we just go in and get your things?" asked the horse.

"No, I think, I've got a better idea," the fox said with a smile. Judith meanwhile simply continued to dance and sing, completely lost in the moment.

 _ **Yet I know it's true**_

 _ **That visions are seldom**_

 _ **All they seem**_

Judith's owl and bird prince managed to gather himself together again and flew back over to her.

 _ **But if I know you**_

 _ **I know what you'll do…**_

 _ **You'll love me at once**_

Judith twirled her prince and backed up against him once he faced her again, wrapping his 'arms' around her and swaying happily side to side.

 _ **The way you did**_

 _ **Once**_

 _ **Upon**_

 _ **A dream**_

 _ **La da, la da**_

 _ **Ha, ah, ha, ah, ha, ah…**_

Judith hummed, simply dancing with 'him' and twirling.

 _ **But if I know you**_

 _ **I know what you'll do**_

Judith twirled toward her 'prince' and twirled away with her eyes closed, just as a black paw came forward to grab the so called 'prince' and pulled him away. Prince Nicholas set himself in the feathered 'prince's' place just in time for Judith to twirl back to him with her eyes closed.

She sang just as...

 _ **You'll love me at once…**_

A male voice took over, causing her to open her eyes in shock. Who's voice was that? What came to be a greater shock was when she saw that her bird 'prince' was away from her.

"Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo," the owl hooted with a shrug as if saying 'oh well'.

 _ **The way you did**_

 _ **Once**_

 _ **Upon**_

 _ **A dream…**_

"Oh, oh!" Judith quickly backed away with a surprised gasp to see that a young red fox was standing behind her with a friendly smile.

"Sorry about that," he apologized sincerely, "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh, i-it wasn't that," Judith stammered, a little frightened, "It's just that you're uh...uh…"

"A fox?" he asked expecting that his species may have been a factor in startling her.

"No! No," Judith corrected, not wanting him to get the wrong idea, "My uncle's a fox."

"Really?" Nicholas asked in both disbelief and amazement.

"Yes, he's a fennec fox and…" Judith paused for a second, remembering that she promised said uncle that she wouldn't talk to strangers. "Oh no wait, I'm not supposed to tal-I'm sorry," she attempted to flee, but Nicholas quickly and gently grabbed her paw.

"No wait, please," he asked as politely as he could in an attempt to not frighten her anymore than she already was. "Please, I don't mean you any harm."

"I'm sorry," Judith apologized, "It's nothing against you, it's just that I promised my family that I wouldn't talk to...um…"

"Strangers?" Prince Nicholas asked, finishing the sentence for her.

"Mhm," Judith nodded.

"Even devilishly handsome ones?" he joked.

Judith giggled, humored by him. "Well, I don't know about those." She looked up at him in an attempt to read his intentions within his soft emerald eyes. Though she had never really interacted with anyone, nor known any malice, she had a gut feeling that his intentions were sincere and honest despite his cocky grin, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude."

"That's okay," he smiled understandingly. "But there's no need for you to be afraid. After all we've met before."

Judith raised a confused brow at him, "We-We have?"

"Of course! You said so yourself, once upon a dream!"

Judith walked away with a half amused scoff. Nicholas smirked playfully and followed her as he sang the song she had been singing earlier.

 _ **I know you**_

 _ **I walked with you**_

 _ **Once upon a dream**_

Judith pressed her back against a tree, her ears were down and she had a noticeable blush on her cheeks. Clearly touched by the charming fox's serenading voice. Nicholas gently touched her paw, startling the bunny. She smiled immediately right after however, evidently falling for him and his captivating demeanor.

Judith's bird friends also appeared to approve of the young stranger. Perhaps he could be the handsome prince from Judith's dreams! He'd certainly make a much better candidate than them that's for sure. Plus he was a mammal and Judith did appear happy! Which is what mattered most of all.

 _ **I know you**_

 _ **The gleam in your eyes**_

 _ **Is so familiar a gleam**_

Judith ultimately gave into the charming fox, allowing him to take her paw and lead her into a waltz as the very same melody they'd both been singing, rang in their minds.

 _ **And I know it's true**_

 _ **That visions are seldom**_

 _ **All they seem**_

Prince Nicholas and Judith moved with a perfect motion. Flowing as gracefully and calm as the lake reflecting their every move and twirl.

 _ **But if I know you**_

 _ **I know what you'll do**_

 _ **You'll love me at once**_

Prince Nicholas and Judith culminated their waltz with Nicholas leading Judith in a circling motion around him. Judith leaned forward to him, bringing both body and face to him. They stared lovingly into one another's eyes and held paws as they walked toward the cliff edge overseeing the Hopps castle in the distance.

Judith's feathery friends followed them and perched themselves on the low hanging branch.

 _ **The way you did**_

 _ **Once...**_

 _ **Upon...**_

 _ **A dream….**_

Prince Nicholas wrapped an arm around Judith's waist and gently brought her closer to him. Judith, now relaxed and feeling completely safe around him, rested her head against his shoulder. He leaned his head down to hers as they gazed toward the castle in silence.

Prince Nicholas felt a little conflicted. He still knew that he had to go to that very castle to meet his intended, but…

How could he now? When his heart told him that the bunny meant to be his bride was not the princess waiting for him at the castle, but the peasant girl snuggled comfortably in his arms.

Though she herself was stranger to him just a few minutes ago as well, something told him that no matter what, he belonged to her. He knew that he just had to know who she was and everything about her! Without a second thought he asked, "Who are you? What's your name?"

"Mm?" the bunny asked, perking her ears and slowly coming out of her dreamlike stupor, "Oh my name? It's-it's…" As if literally waking up from a dream, Judith's eyes widened as she remembered that along with never speaking to strangers, she had always promised her uncles and aunt that she would never under any circumstances ever share her name. Why that was she didn't know. In truth, it was because her uncles and aunt didn't want to take any chances in identifying her to Bellwether, despite her being given a new name to begin with. "No, no! I can't! I-Goodbye!" Judith ducked under the low branch and began running away from him.

Prince Nicholas was flabbergasted. What just happened? Weren't they just enjoying themselves a few seconds ago? "Wait! But when will I see you again?"

"Oh, never!" Judith called back and feeling conflicted herself. She had already broken her promise by interacting and developing feelings towards a stranger, but she wasn't sure if she should break another by giving him her name and seeing him again. But how could she not want to see him again, if he had been nothing but gentle and loving to her?

"Never?!" Prince Nicholas echoed back broken hearted.

Hearing the disappointment in his voice, Judith changed her mind, "Well, maybe someday!"

"When? Tomorrow?" Prince Nicholas asked with a growing hope.

"Oh no! This evening!" Judith replied, changing her mind yet again and surprising herself. She knew her uncles and aunt would be disappointed that she broke her promise, but figured that perhaps it was time for a change. After all she was sixteen and though she knew many mammals could be dangerous, this red fox proved not to be. He was nothing but kind and honorable to her, so why shouldn't she be allowed to have one friend in her life? Especially one who appeared to be affectionate and have noble intentions with her? Besides, she wasn't going to meet him in secret again. She was going to ask him to come to her cottage so that her uncles and aunt could meet him themselves and see that he was a nice tod. She only hoped they would approve of him.

With a renewed hope, Prince Nicholas felt his heart skip a beat. She wanted to see him again! "Where?" he called with a big smile as she continued running forward.

"At the cottage! In the glen!" she replied back as she picked up her shawl and basket of berries. Her feathery friends followed her, while Nicholas stayed behind watching her go.

Samson came up behind Prince Nicholas with the prince's belongings in his hooves. "Shall we be on our way, sire?"

"Yeah…" Nicholas breathed dreamily, watching the bunny disappear into the distance. "You can have your carrots back by the way." Prince Nicholas took his red coat and cap from the stunned horse.

"Oh, well thank you sire," the horse replied politely yet somewhat confused. "May I ask what brought about this change?"

"Because I have you to thank for accidentally tossing me into the lake and indirectly introducing me to _my_ Carrots." The fox winked confidently. For now he had come to his decision - he would marry that peasant bunny, whatever her name may be.


	10. 101 Funnies and Boxes

_**A/N: Whoops! I had accidentally left some notes and a previous ending. I've re-edited the chapter now with the real ending. Hope you enjoyed my notes and previous ending if you got to read them, lol! xD**_

.

Raspberries Challenge #10: 101 Dalmatians

 **101 Funnies and Boxes**

 _My story begins in Zootopia, not too long ago. And yet so much has happened since then that it feels more like an eternity_ , a bored male voice narrated as the sounds of uninspired romantic piano music came from the second floor window of a tall beige apartment complex. _At that time, I lived alone in a bachelor pad just off of Cypress Grove Lane. It was a beautiful spring day. Real terrible time of the year for bachelors._

 _Oh! That's me_ , said the internal voice as he sat at a piano. The narrator in question was a slender red fox with a black tail tip and the most handsome emerald green eyes. He wrote notes and tested new keys to try to get the right melody, _Nick. Nick Wilde,_ he introduced himself, _I'm a musician of sorts._ Nick tried a new rhythm that he had written down. He smiled, believing it sounded good until he realized it was just the same uninspired, repetitive theme he had already been playing.

He groaned, dropping his forehead frustratingly over several keys on the piano, causing the large musical instrument to create a loud shrill sound. That's it! He gives up.

Nick slumped on his swivel chair and turned to face away from his piano, feeling greatly uninspired to write or play anything. He miserably viewed his surroundings. His small apartment, a complete mess - it screamed stereotypical messy, single male at every corner. Nick sighed at the mess, _You know, as far as I could see the old notion that a bachelor's life was so...glamorous and carefree was all one big fat lie. It was downright dull._ Nick stretched and yawned, only to slump back on his seat.

 _Yeah...I'm pretty sure it was plain to see that I needed someone. I had been a bachelor for...well pretty much since forever at this point. I'd been married to my work and I wrote songs about romance, which to be fair was a subject I knew absolutely nothing about. Don't get me wrong, I've had a few flings in my youth but never anything serious._ Nick looked to a pile of entertainment and clothing store magazines next to him and picked one up. It depicted a pretty red vixen in a purple nightgown. He stared at it with a smile and opened it to the female clothing section to view other pictures of other gorgeous female mammals of varying species.

 _It was at that moment that I thought, 'why don't I just settle down?' It'd be just the inspiration I need for my work. And besides, I'm a pretty good-looking guy. I'm a smart catch too. There's no reason I can't get a cute girl like the ones in these magazines._ Nick shifted his gaze back down to the pile of magazines and noticed another magazine with a beautiful female rabbit in a pink and green teddy on the cover. He immediately picked it up with intrigue and gave the image a flirty growl. _Plus, I'm not picky when it comes to species. I'm willing to marry outside my kind if it's the right girl._

With a new rejuvenated sense of life, Nick jumped off his swivel chair and ran to peek out his apartment window. _The question was, where to start looking?_ Nick gazed out the window, paying attention to every young female that walked down the street. At the moment, only a young eligible female elephant and mouse passed by his street. Nick grimaced, _Hmm. I'm not picky with species, but I'm pretty sure she should at least be near my size in order to count. Don't want her too small that I could crush her or too big that she'd crush me._

Nick shook his head, wanting to get that last image out of his head. Just then, a more appropriately sized female made her way around the corner. _Ah, here comes a good one._ Nick saw that it was a very lanky, very plain looking red vixen with a slouchy gait. She wore glasses and a black beret - an artist of sorts - a painter by the looks of it. _Hmm, pretty unusual breed for a vixen._ He chuckled as the more he watched her, the more he found her unique gait rather comical. _Very_ _unusual…...nah._ He shook his head. Though her outward appearance said artist, she just didn't seem like the type of artist that could inspire him.

He turned his attention to the next oncoming girl, a portly pig in a brown pencil skirt business suit and cap. She had golden locks of hair sticking out right from under her cap. _Well, what've we here?_ Nick observed her as she walked swaying her all too large hips side to side, causing Nick to primarily lay his focus on her lower back and rump. _Hmm...well I like big hips, but...maybe those are a little too big._ Giving it another thought, he reached his conclusion, _Nope._

Onto the next oncoming girl, _Whoa!_ Nick gasped with wide eyes, his jaw falling at the sight of a gorgeous and voluptuous, fancy looking arctic vixen. By the looks of her expensive opaque lavender coat and matching puff of a hat, a financially well endowed vixen at that! _Look at that knockout! Now that's a fancy vixen if I ever saw one!_ he thought in excitement. At the moment he thought he had finally found the mate he was looking for, but...upon further inspection of the vixen and her high nose posture, the more he began to question exactly how good of a match they would be. Surely she would not want a struggling musician like himself for a husband, plus given her demeanor and pursed lips, she really didn't look very approachable. In fact she looked pretty snobbish and like she'd very perfectly live up to the literal definition of a 'vixen'.

Nick's excitement died out as did his attraction toward the vixen. _Hmm...maybe she's a little_ _too_ _fancy._ He gazed at the vixen once more to confirm, _Yeah, too fancy for my taste._

Nick looked back down to the street, his tone somewhat defeated as if losing hope in his venture for a wife. His deflated mood only worsened when he saw the next two candidates passing by. The first one was an old jittery goat riding her bike down the street while the second was a small juvenile skunk in a yellow dress licking a large swirled lollipop. _Too old, too young._ Nick mumbled in defeat.

Nick sighed discouraged and slumped his cheek on the palm of his paw, _This was going to be tougher than I thought. A_ _lot_ _tougher._ Nick shifted his gaze back down, hopeless and with very little interest now.

Until...

His eyes caught view of something and he had to shake his head to do a double take to make sure he wasn't dreaming - as at that very moment, making her way around the corner was another candidate - perhaps, _**the**_ candidate! Nick's ears stood on end with intrigue and he smiled wide just as his long canid tongue stuck out in joy - reminiscent to a happy puppy. His tail wagged in excitement, _Well, now that's more like it! The_ _ **most beautiful**_ _creature on two legs!_ Nick exclaimed in his mind as he gazed in wonder and admiration at a lovely young female rabbit with beautiful gray and white fur and gorgeous decorative black tips atop her long soft ears that hung low behind her shoulders. From what he could see, she had just the cutest pink button nose he had ever seen - though he'd never tell her that - lest he'd risk making her, a rabbit, angry by calling her 'cute'.

She wore a beige colored, flared skirt business suit and matching hat with a decorative yellow sunflower on the side of her hat. Her features fair and soft, telling him that she was of a very gentle nature. In her arms she carried a small book - an interest in literature could be a sign of a smart, creative girl in his wake! _She was almost too good to be true! I'd never find another girl like that even if I had to look for her for a hundred years!_

Not wanting to lose sight of her, Nick ran to the other window at the top of his small stairway. He caught sight of her, _Ah, she's heading for the park! A perfect meeting place! Now if I could only find her there._ Nick grabbed his coat and hat, ready to run out the door, but stopped short as he glanced at his clock. _Uh-oh. I almost forgot, I can't ruin my work schedule. I don't stop playing 'til after five. But then, that'll be too late and I'll lose her._ Hustling himself, Nick readjusted the time on his clock from 4:34 to 5:13pm. He smiled proud, _There we go. Problem solved!_ He chuckled and ran out, excited to reach the park and win the heart of his new fair bunny.

.

Nick sped walked through the park, practically jogging through it in search of the gray bunny. It almost seemed hopeless. The park was huge and full of mammals. She could've been anywhere!

Nick could somewhat see someone in the distance wearing a brownish-beige suit and hat. Could it be her?

He jogged over as fast as he could, but when he got close enough he sadly realized that it wasn't her. It was the pig he had seen earlier in the brown business suit. She just sat there, knitting something and minding her own business.

Nick sighed disappointedly and continued on his way. He kept his eyes peeled and shifted his gaze every which way in search of the rabbit.

He crossed the park's bridge hovering over a body of water and spotted another familiar face. It was the lanky red vixen from before. She sat by the lake shore just painting a canvas of the scenery before her.

Nick huffed, growing anxious. Where could she be?!

He hurried off the bridge and continued on his way, but was stopped in his tracks when some giggling children, two young lambs and a bunny, zipped right in front of him. Two girl lambs ran with a jump rope in their hooves and the young male bunny rolled on some four wheeled roller skates. Nick sighed in annoyance and continued on his way after they crossed his path.

His anxiousness was quickly turning into despair as there was still no sign of the bunny. _At first I was afraid I'd missed her,_ he narrated in thought _, Maybe she strolled right through the park._

Nick continued with his rushed pace, passing by a path between two bushes. He quickly peeked in and took a few more steps forward when he froze in his tracks - his brain catching up with his sight. He peered back in to ensure he wasn't seeing things. He smiled wide.

 _Then suddenly, I spotted her!_

The gray bunny sat on a bench suited for a mammal of her size and with a perfect view of the lake - a perfectly romantic view that is. Nick wagged his tail. He couldn't have set this scene any better even if he tried!

Now the question was how to get her attention? She seemed awfully preoccupied with her book as she turned another page. He didn't want to be rude and interrupt her, but he did want to find a way to start up a conversation with her. Whatever he did, he had to be smart in his approach. Polite. Smooth. Suave. Confident.

 _Alright Nick,_ Nick thought to himself as he took in a heavy gulp, _You can do this!_ The bachelor fox took a deep breath and poised his nose up and strolled before the bunny with a confident gait.

As Nick passed her by, the bunny curiously lifted her gaze up from her book to him. She followed his every move as she saw him take a seat at the other end of the bench she was at. Nick kept his gaze forward for a few seconds, pretending to mind his own business.

He then glanced over to her - curious if she had noticed him at all. The minute he looked toward her, their eyes met. It was only for a second however, as the bunny immediately blushed in embarrassment that she was caught staring at him and quickly buried her nose back into her book.

Nick looked away from her as well, but with a smile. She noticed him! And boy are her eyes just the most beautiful shade of amethyst purple he had ever seen! _For a moment it seemed to have worked. At least she'd seen me. Now if I could only start up a conversation with her..._ Nick rubbed his neck and casually shifted his gaze toward her once more - his focus landing on her book - it was Jane Mouseten's "Pride and Prejudice". _That's it!_ He thought in excitement. He had his ice breaker! Plus it was a book he had read before and really liked! It was perfect!

 _Alright, it's now or never Wilde._ Nick shut his eyes and cleared his throat with a light tug at his shirt collar. He turned his body towards her, his eyes still shut as he opened his mouth to utter his first syllable. He had only managed a breath when he opened his eyes and realized - _She's gone!_ Nick's jaw dropped as he gazed at the now empty spot where the bunny sat. He looked up and saw that she was already a few feet away, walking along the path beside the lake.

 _No…_ Nick thought miserably. Had he really just lost his opportunity to talk to her? His ears fell in defeat until, out of fate or sheer luck, the bunny's loosely placed book, plopped right out of her purse.

Nick smiled wide, "Thank you!" he whispered gratefully to the sky with his paws clasped together in a prayer position. Without a second thought, the fox quickly lept into action to retrieve her book from the ground. Once in his paws, he smiled confidently. There was no way he could mess this up now - he'd give the book back to her and then segway into a conversation about it until he'd find the right moment to ask her out.

The fox adjusted his hat forward, determined. Nothing could stop him now! He cleared his throat and jogged forward, "Excuse me miss?" he called out to the bunny in the distance, "You forgot your book!" Lost in the bunny ahead and in his determination to reach her, the fox failed to notice an abandoned pair of roller skates in his path. "Miss? Mi-Aaaaahh!"

Accidentally stepping on one, Nick was propelled forward down the sloping path - much, much faster than he had intended to move! Along the way he came across the children from before, playing jump rope right in the middle of the walkway. "Waaaahhhh!" Nick crashed right in the middle of their jump rope, yanking it right out of the hooves of the two little lambs and taking it along with him.

"Look out!" he called out as he realized he was about to crash into his lady bunny. The bunny turned just in time to see Nick crash right into her. She let out a loud yelp as before either of them knew it - they were both entangled to one another with the jump rope.

"Oh! Sweet cheese and-!" the bunny cried out in shock as she found herself pressed up against the fox.

Nick blushed, both in embarrassment and of the fact that he was pressed up against her. "I-I'm really sorry! I-I didn't mean to-"

"What on earth!" the bunny cried again as both she and the fox tried to pull themselves free from the rope's grasp. Both mammals struggled and rocked back and forth, unaware that the more they moved, the more they began to move toward the lake.

Before they knew it, "Whoaa! Whoa, whoa! WHOAAAA!"

 _SPLASH!_

The two fell into the lake, finally becoming untangled from one another, but both soaked to the bone!

They landed side by side - Nick kicking his legs up in an attempt to sit up, while the drenched bunny sat and coughed.

Nick lifted the sopping wet brim of his hat from his eyes to see her. He watched as she shivered both in embarrassment and from the cold of the water. He placed an embarrassed paw over his snout, guilt drenching him more than the water, _Oh boy, did I mess up big time,_ he groaned internally.

The trembling bunny looked down at herself, completely mortified and near the brink of tears in sheer embarrassment. "M-My new spring suit," she stammered, "A-And m-my new hat!" She pointed to her hat that was slowly floating away from her with the water's gentle current.

Overwhelmed with guilt and desperate to make things right, Nick stood up and quickly waddled over to fetch her hat. "D-Don't worry I'll get it for you!" In his rush and because he couldn't see much given the brim of his soaked hat covering his eyes, he lost his footing, grabbing the bunny's hat but landing belly and face first against the water.

 _SPLASH!_

The gray bunny yelped and took cover behind her small arms as water splashed against her. She gasped, wiping the excess water from her face. Nick surfaced from beneath the water and instinctually shook himself to dry off some of the water. "H-Hey!" She took cover with her arms once more as some stray droplets flew her way.

 _Uh-oh,_ Nick thought, immediately seizing his actions. _Way to go Wilde, if I wasn't dead in her eyes before, then I really am now._ "I'm sorry! I-I really didn't mean to-It's just my insti-Here, let me help you up." Nick said as he gently placed his paws underneath her arms to stand her up and escort her off the lake and onto the dry bank. "I don't know what happened back there," he tried to explain as he placed her soaked hat over her head, accidently causing more water to stream down her face. "I-I was just walking along the path, and then there was this roller skate, and then there were these kids and a jump rope, a-and I-I…"

"Oh, nevermind, nevermind!" retorted the shivering bunny, not wanting to hear another word from him.

Watching her shiver, Nick chivalrously removed his red coat and placed it over her shoulders in an attempt to keep her warm - not that it would do much good given the equally soaked state of the coat. The embarrassed bunny flinched from his touch, pulling away from him, the coat still on her shoulders, "Please just go away! You've done enough!"

Nick felt his heart in pain - broken, before he could've even gotten the chance to know her. His normally bright emerald eyes dimmed in shame. His ears fell back. He blew it...

Despite not wanting anything more to do with him, the gray bunny still sought warmth from his coat, tugging at the lapel with one paw to better adjust it at her shoulders while her other paw brought her purse up to fish for something inside it.

Though the brim of his hat kept slouching over his eyes, Nick could still see how upset she was as she dug into her purse. "I...," he spoke, compelled to say something to her, "I know you probably don't want anything more to do with me, but...I'm really, _really_ sorry-"

"Please..." groaned the bunny as she pulled out a hankie from her purse, hoping to use it to dry herself, "Please just-" she stopped in shock when she saw that her hankie was just as equally soaked as she was.

Ever the gentlemammal, Nick immediately dug into his back pocket and pulled out a red handkerchief. "Here, take mine."

The gray bunny's jaw dropped when she saw the state of his hankie. It too was drenched. She didn't know why, but for some reason just seeing the state of his hankie brought a humored smile to her face. She stifled a breathy chuckle but then allowed herself to laugh wholeheartedly as she pointed at the soaked handkerchief.

Though at first in shock at hearing her laugh, Nick quickly followed suit and began to laugh as well. Perhaps it was simply because he was relieved that she was no longer sad but smiling. Perhaps she found his attempts to be a gentlemammal sweet and adorable. Or perhaps it was the humor of the the entire situation finally just hit them. After all, had they been on the outside looking in, everything that happened to them would've been pretty hilarious! Mostly given how silly they looked.

Whatever the reason, Nick was just happy to know that she was okay and no longer angry at him.

Their laughter began to die out after a while, but their smiles remained. Nick removed his hat to wring it dry. The gray bunny giggled at how much water poured out from it. Nick chuckled as well. "Hey, I-I really am sorry about everything. I didn't mean to knock you into the lake."

"It's okay," she said with a smile. "You're the fox from before, right? The one who was sitting next to me on the bench?"

"Yeah," Nick said with light wag of his tail, delighted to hear that she did notice him!

The bunny giggled, noticing his tail. "So...does the fox responsible for tangling me up and knocking me into the lake have a name?"

"Indeed he does," Nick offered her his paw, "Wilde. Nick Wilde." The bunny took his paw and shook it in greeting. "And does the lovely bunny have a name?"

The bunny hummed happily with a blush. "Hopps. Judy Hopps," she responded in kind.

"Judy," Nick echoed her name. It was a name he never, ever wanted to forget. They smiled at one another just as Judy's book floated over and bumped against the bank where they stood. "Huh?" Nick looked down to it, "Oh! I almost forgot…" Nick reached down to fish the book out, "Here," he said handing it to her. "You uh, you accidentally dropped it when you were walking on the path. I was actually trying to get it back to you in one piece until a lone roller skate decided I was in serious need of a bath."

Judy couldn't help but giggle, admiring his sense of humor. "I guess you weren't the only one in need of a bath seeing how I fell in too. But thank you for returning it, nonetheless. This is actually my favorite book." Judy responded with a sweet and appreciative smile as she held the book close to her heart.

"Really? Well then you have good taste Judy. I remember back in high school I hated reading, but this was the first book I actually managed to read all the way through."

"So I take it you liked it?" Judy asked with a curious interest.

"Believe it or not, it's what got me into composing romantic melodies."

"You're a musician?" the bunny asked, her ears perked up with intrigue.

"Yup! Er...well, sort of an up and coming piano composer," he said with a twinge of embarrassment and a nervous rub to the back of his neck, "I haven't composed anything noteworthy yet. Guess I've just been waiting to find the right inspiration." He gave the bunny a gentle smile.

"And have you found it yet?" the bunny asked curiously.

Nick met her eyes, as if searching for an answer within those gorgeous and sympathetic amethyst pools of hers. "Yeah…" he breathed with a mesmerized certainty, "I think I have."

Judy smiled, bashfully lowering her gaze, as if somehow knowing that she was the newfound inspiration he was referring to.

Feeling emboldened, Nick decided to leap into the frey, "Hey listen Judy, I don't know if I'm being too forward but, seeing how we're both soaked to the bone and very likely to catch colds if we don't warm up soon... would you...like to get a coffee with me?"

"I'd love to, Nick," Judy said with a smile. Nick returned her sweet smile with one of his own. Both of them happy and aware that this was simply the beginning of something more growing between them.


End file.
